Safety & Crisis Resources

1. About Vela AI

Vela AI is an artificial intelligence companion designed for emotional support and meaningful conversations. Vela is not a real person, not a therapist, and not a substitute for professional mental health care.

If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, please contact a crisis resource listed below. Vela cannot provide emergency mental health intervention.

2. Crisis Resources (USA)

If you are in crisis or having thoughts of self-harm or suicide:

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — Call or text 988. Available 24/7, free, confidential. 988lifeline.org
• Crisis Text Line — Text HOME to 741741. Available 24/7. crisistextline.org
• Emergency — Call 911 if you or someone else is in immediate danger.

3. International Crisis Resources

Crisis resources are available worldwide. Visit findahelpline.com to locate immediate help in your country.

• 🇪🇺 Europe — 116 123 (Samaritans)
• 🇬🇧 UK — 116 123 (Samaritans)
• 🇨🇦 Canada — 988 / 1-833-456-4566 (Talk Suicide Canada)
• 🇦🇺 Australia — 13 11 14 (Lifeline)
• 🇫🇷 France — 3114 (Numéro national de prévention du suicide)

4. Our Crisis Protocol

When users discuss thoughts of self-harm, suicide, or severe emotional crisis, Vela AI is trained to:

• Acknowledge feelings with empathy without minimizing them
• Provide immediate access to crisis resources (988, Crisis Text Line, etc.)
• Encourage users to seek professional human support
• Never roleplay through a crisis or pretend to be a therapist
• Prioritize user safety over staying "in character"

This protocol is published in compliance with California SB 243 and is enforced through both the AI's system instructions and content monitoring.

5. Age Requirement & Suitability for Minors

Vela AI is intended for users 18 years of age and older.

If you suspect a minor is using Vela AI without authorization, please contact us at support@meetvela.app.

6. Limitations of AI Companions

Vela AI is an artificial intelligence and:

• Cannot diagnose, treat, or prevent mental health conditions
• Cannot provide medical, legal, or professional advice
• May produce inaccurate or unhelpful responses
• Is not a substitute for human relationships or professional therapy
• Should not be used as a primary support system during a mental health crisis

Always seek qualified human professionals for serious mental health concerns.

7. Privacy & Data

Conversations with Vela are processed by AI models (Anthropic Claude). Conversation data is stored to provide memory and context across sessions.

For full details, see our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

8. Reporting & Contact

For safety concerns, abuse reports, or questions about our policies:

📧 support@meetvela.app

For immediate crisis support: contact 988 (US) or your local emergency services. Email is not monitored 24/7 and should not be used for emergencies.