SMS Consent & Text Message Terms

1. Overview of SMS Services

When SMS is enabled, Mendly will send text messages to clients who have agreed to receive them, on behalf of their therapist. The messages are reminders and greetings only and never contain health information.

SMS messages would include:

• Daily Reminders: Notifications to complete your daily check-in
• Birthday Messages: Birthday wishes from your therapist

2. Consent Collection Process

2.1 How Consent is Obtained

Consent for SMS notifications is collected through a two-step opt-in process:

1. Enrollment: Your therapist enters your phone number in the Mendly platform and chooses which messages (daily reminders, birthday messages, or both) to request.
2. Consent Request: You receive one text message, which reads: "Mendly: Your therapist has requested to send you text messages including daily wellness check-in reminders and birthday messages. Msg frequency varies (approx. 1 msg/day). Msg & data rates may apply. Reply YES to opt in. Reply STOP to cancel."
3. Confirmation: After you reply YES, you receive one confirmation text. Your therapist cannot record your consent for you; only your YES reply turns SMS on.

One YES covers both daily reminders and birthday messages. Only the messages your therapist requested are turned on, and your therapist can turn either one off at any time. If your phone number changes, your consent ends and a new request must be sent to the new number.

2.2 What You're Agreeing To

By replying YES to the consent request, you agree to:

• Receive automated text messages at the phone number you provide
• Receive daily check-in reminders and birthday messages, as requested by your therapist
• Standard message and data rates from your mobile carrier may apply
• Message frequency varies based on your settings (typically 1 message per day if daily reminders are enabled)

2.3 Consent is Voluntary

SMS notifications are completely optional. You can use Mendly without enabling SMS notifications. Your decision to opt in or opt out will not affect the quality of care you receive from your therapist or your access to the Mendly platform.

3. Types of Messages

3.1 Daily Reminder Messages

If enabled, you will receive a daily reminder to complete your wellness check-in. Example:

• Frequency: Up to once per day, at the reminder time your therapist sets, and only on days you have not yet checked in
• Purpose: Encourage consistent engagement with your wellness tracking
• Can be disabled: Yes, you or your therapist can turn this off

3.2 Birthday Messages

If your birthday is on file and this feature is enabled, you may receive a birthday message. Your therapist may write their own wording; otherwise the message reads:

• Frequency: Once per year (on your birthday)
• Purpose: Show care and strengthen the therapeutic relationship
• Can be disabled: Yes

4. Message Frequency

The number of messages you receive depends on your settings:

Estimated total: Most users receive approximately 30-31 messages per month if daily reminders are enabled, or 1 message per year if only birthday messages are enabled.

5. How to Opt Out

You can stop receiving SMS messages at any time using any of the following methods:

5.1 Reply STOP

Reply STOP to any message you receive from Mendly. We also treat STOPALL, UNSUBSCRIBE, CANCEL, END, QUIT, REVOKE, and OPT OUT, in any capitalization, as an opt-out, and we honor any other reply that asks us to stop, such as "please don't text me". Opting out stops all Mendly texts to that number, for every client account that uses it. You will receive one confirmation, such as:

5.2 Ask Your Therapist

Contact your therapist and ask them to disable SMS notifications for your account. They can do this through the Mendly platform.

5.3 Contact Mendly Support

Email support@mendly.me with your request to opt out of SMS notifications. Include your name and phone number.

5.4 Re-subscribing

If you previously opted out and want to start receiving messages again, text START to our number. After you opt out, your therapist cannot turn SMS back on for you; once you have texted START, they can send a new consent request if needed.

6. Getting Help

If you need assistance with SMS notifications, you can:

• Text HELP to any Mendly message for assistance
• Email support@mendly.me
• Contact your therapist directly

When you text HELP, you'll receive:

7. Costs and Carrier Information

Message and data rates may apply. Mendly does not charge for SMS messages, but your mobile carrier may charge you for receiving text messages based on your phone plan.

• Check with your mobile carrier for details about your text messaging plan
• If you have unlimited texting, you will not incur additional charges
• Mendly is not responsible for any charges from your mobile carrier

Supported carriers: SMS services are available on all major US carriers including AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and most regional carriers.

8. Privacy and Data Protection

8.1 Phone Number Storage

Your phone number is:

• Stored securely in our database as part of your therapist's client record
• Visible to your therapist, and not shown in Mendly's admin tools
• Shared with our SMS provider only to deliver messages
• Never sold or shared with third parties for marketing purposes
• Used solely for the reminders and birthday messages described here

8.2 Message Content

Important: SMS messages are not encrypted end-to-end. While we take precautions to protect your privacy:

• We do NOT include sensitive health information in SMS messages
• Messages are general reminders and encouragement only
• Detailed health discussions should occur in-person or through secure channels

8.3 Message Logs

We keep a log of the messages we send, and of consent and opt-out replies, for troubleshooting and as a record of your consent choices. Each log entry records the message type, a short fixed description (such as "Daily reminder SMS"), the time, and the delivery status. It does not contain your name or the text of the message. Log entries are deleted after 90 days. Your current consent status and the time you opted in or out are kept with your client record.

9. SMS Service Provider

If SMS is enabled, Mendly will use Twilio as its SMS service provider. Twilio would:

• Process and deliver text messages on our behalf, receiving your phone number and the message text
• Also honor STOP, START, and HELP replies on its own network, so an opt-out takes effect even before it reaches Mendly
• Not use your data for its own marketing purposes

Because your phone number is part of your therapist's client record, SMS will not be turned on until Mendly has a business associate agreement with Twilio in place.

For more information, see Twilio's Privacy Policy.

10. Terms and Conditions

By opting in to SMS notifications, you agree to the following:

• You are the owner or authorized user of the mobile phone number provided
• You consent to receive automated text messages from Mendly
• You understand that message and data rates may apply
• You can opt out at any time by texting STOP
• SMS notifications are not a substitute for emergency services - call 911 for emergencies
• You will notify your therapist if your phone number changes
• You understand that SMS is not a secure communication method for sensitive information

11. Limitations and Disclaimers

• Not for emergencies: SMS notifications are not monitored 24/7. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis or emergency, please call 911, go to your nearest emergency room, or contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
• Delivery not guaranteed: While we strive for reliable delivery, SMS messages may be delayed or fail due to carrier issues, network problems, or other factors outside our control.
• Not medical advice: SMS messages from Mendly do not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
• Service availability: SMS services may be temporarily unavailable for maintenance or due to technical issues.

12. Changes to SMS Terms

We may update these SMS terms from time to time. If we make significant changes:

• We will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page
• We may notify you via SMS or email about material changes
• Continued use of SMS services after changes constitutes acceptance

13. Contact Information

If you have questions about SMS services or this consent policy, contact us:

Email: support@mendly.me
Service: Mendly
Location: Pennsylvania, USA