The Emotional PPE Project

What The Emotional PPE Project does

The Emotional PPE Project is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit incorporated in Massachusetts and founded in April 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Its core product is an online directory platform (directory.emotionalppe.org) that connects US healthcare workers — physicians, nurses, EMTs, assisted living managers, and others — with licensed volunteer mental health practitioners offering free pro bono telehealth therapy sessions. Healthcare workers search the directory by state, contact practitioners directly, and provide no personal information; practitioners are verified for license validity before listing and are asked to offer at least two pro bono sessions. The platform has mobilized 300+ volunteer therapists across 40 states and served 2400+ healthcare workers in all 50 states.

The organization operates on a community-led go-to-market model with no fee-bearing services for end users. Revenue streams are limited to individual donations, corporate donations (tax-deductible), and fees from mental health training and speaking engagements. The supporting product surface includes research resources, training and advocacy curricula, legislation and policy materials, a volunteer program, and a donation platform — collectively forming a two-pronged approach combining direct service provision (the directory) with systemic advocacy (JAMA-published research, support for the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, partnerships with NAMI, AMWA, and FSMB).

Co-founded by Dr. Daniel Saddawi-Konefka (MD, MBA; anesthesiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital) and Ariel Brown, PhD, the organization is governed by an all-volunteer board of clinicians and public health professionals. Operations are volunteer-driven with 1-10 part-time staff, no institutional funding, and no app or proprietary AI/ML technology. The core technology stack is a state-segmented directory with license verification and self-serve practitioner onboarding, relying on telehealth as the delivery channel rather than any integrated matching algorithm.

Name

The Emotional PPE Project

Legal name

The Emotional PPE Project, Inc.

Website

https://emotionalppe.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Emotional PPE Project is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2020 that connects US healthcare workers with volunteer licensed mental health practitioners offering free pro bono telehealth therapy through an online directory serving all 50 states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mental Health Services Directory

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Social Assistance (624), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Couples & Family Therapy Teletherapy Platforms (HLALAEAG)

Keywords

• Healthcare worker mental health
• Pro bono therapy
• Volunteer therapist directory
• Nonprofit mental health services
• Healthcare worker wellbeing

Headquarters

HQ city

Arlington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: The organization is supported by individual donations through its donation page. Donations are tax-deductible for US taxpayers as it is a 501(c)(3) organization.
2. Training and Speaking Engagements: The organization generates revenue by providing mental health trainings and talks surrounding solutions to the barriers healthcare workers face in receiving mental and emotional health support.
3. Corporate Donations: The organization accepts donations from corporations or businesses, contacted via email for corporate giving inquiries.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Emotional PPE Project is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates an online directory connecting healthcare workers with licensed mental health practitioners who offer free pro bono telehealth therapy sessions across all 50 US states. The organization also provides research resources, advocacy training, and policy advocacy to reduce systemic barriers to mental health care for healthcare workers.

Product overview

The Emotional PPE Project is a nonprofit organization offering a suite of interconnected services focused on reducing barriers to mental health care for healthcare workers. The core product is the Practitioner Directory, an online platform that connects healthcare workers with volunteer licensed mental health practitioners providing free telehealth therapy sessions. Supporting products include a Practitioner Sign-Up Portal for therapist registration, Research Resources with curated studies on healthcare mental health, a Trainings and Advocate Center with educational materials, Legislation and Policy Resources for advocacy, a Volunteer Program, and a Donation Platform for funding. The organization takes a two-pronged approach: directly providing access to care through the directory and advocating for systemic change through research and policy efforts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Practitioner Directory
• Practitioner Sign-Up Portal

Named customers6 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Massachusetts General HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitial pilot site for The Emotional PPE Project before nationwide expansion. Dr. Daniel Saddawi-Konefka serves as Program Director of the Anesthesiology Residency at MGH and is co-founder of the organization.
• NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative advocacy relationship with NAMI as part of efforts to lift barriers to mental health care for healthcare professionals. NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison, Jr. provided statement supporting the organization's mission.
• American Medical Women's Association (AMWA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvocacy organization collaborating on physician mental health initiatives. Dr. Eileen Barrett, a board member of Emotional PPE Project, is Immediate Past President of AMWA.
• Lorna Breen Heroes' FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvocacy partner working on healthcare worker mental health legislation. Co-founder Corey Feist collaborates with the organization to support the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act.
• Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSMB published recommendations in 2018 to limit medical license application questions regarding mental health. The Emotional PPE Project advocates for adoption of these recommendations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Modern Health: Modern Health is a global mental health platform offering therapy, coaching, and self-guided courses through employer benefits. Comparable therapy directory and barrier-removal thesis (anonymous access, no insurance friction), though it serves all employees rather than healthcare workers and operates as a venture-backed company.
• Lyra Health: Lyra Health is a mental health benefits platform offering employer-sponsored therapy, coaching, and self-care, including specialized tracks for frontline healthcare workers. Highly comparable to ePPE on therapist matching and confidential telehealth delivery, but operates at much larger scale with paid clinicians rather than volunteers.
• Talkspace: Talkspace is an online therapy platform connecting users with licensed therapists via messaging, live video, and audio. Comparable on telehealth therapist matching and barrier-removal (anonymous, online-first access), though it is a publicly traded for-profit serving consumers and payers rather than a nonprofit serving healthcare workers.
• Spring Health: Spring Health provides precision mental health benefits to employers, matching employees to therapists via a directory with measurement-based care. Comparable to ePPE's directory-based matching model, but funded by enterprise contracts rather than donations and serving general employees rather than healthcare workers specifically.
• BetterHelp: BetterHelp is one of the largest online therapy directories, offering subscription access to licensed therapists. Comparable on telehealth therapist matching and confidential self-serve access, though a commercial subscription model rather than a donation-funded nonprofit for healthcare workers.

Emerging players

• Physicians Foundation: The Physicians Foundation is a nonprofit focused on physician well-being, workforce, and practice environment through research, grants, and advocacy. Comparable on the physician mental health advocacy mission and donor-funded nonprofit model, though it funds external initiatives rather than operating a direct service directory like ePPE.
• Wysa: Wysa is an AI-driven mental health chatbot and clinician escalation platform sold to employers and health systems, including for healthcare workforce well-being. Comparable on confidential, tech-enabled mental health access for healthcare workers, though commercial rather than nonprofit and reliant on self-guided AI plus escalation rather than pure therapist matching.
• Lorna Breen Heroes' Foundation: The Lorna Breen Heroes' Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to preventing physician suicide and improving healthcare worker mental health, primarily through advocacy and grants under the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act. Direct advocacy peer to ePPE, with an overlapping mission and confirmed partnership relationship.

Broad incumbents

• NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness): NAMI is a large, established mental health advocacy and support nonprofit offering education, peer support, and public awareness across all mental health conditions. Comparable on the mental health advocacy mission and confirmed collaboration with ePPE, but operates at much greater scale and broader population focus.
• Headspace Health (Ginger): Headspace Health combines the Headspace meditation app with Ginger's on-demand therapy and coaching platform, primarily through employer and payer partnerships. Comparable on mental health access and barrier reduction, but a venture-backed, broad-consumer company rather than a healthcare-worker-focused nonprofit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/search?q=%23EmotionalPPE&src=hashtag_click&f=user
• Facebookfacebook.com/emotionalppe
• Instagraminstagram.com/emotionalppe/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-emotional-ppe-project

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Emotional PPE Project