Apps built on Claude that offer mental health or crisis support must include real crisis resources, must not try to replace actual mental health professionals, and must tell users to see a licensed provider for clinical decisions.
This analysis describes what Anthropic's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology
This provision creates specific safety obligations for a rapidly growing category of AI wellness apps, protecting vulnerable users from over-relying on AI in moments of crisis.
Defense contractors and federal agencies using Claude must find alternatives. Enterprise customers with defense-adjacent business face compliance risk.
If you are using a mental health or crisis support app powered by Claude, that app is required to provide real emergency resources and must not position itself as a substitute for professional clinical care — giving you an enforceable baseline of safety protections.
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"Products or services providing crisis support or other emotional, mental, or behavioral health content... Must include appropriate crisis escalation mechanisms and support resources as part of the user experience... Must not facilitate user dependence on the product as a mental health care provider substitute... Must advise users to seek licensed healthcare providers for any clinical diagnostic or treatment decisions.— Excerpt from Anthropic's Anthropic API Usage Policy
(1) REGULATORY FRAMEWORK: This provision implicates the FTC Act Section 5 (deceptive health claims), FDA digital health guidance on Software as a Medical Device (SaMD, 21 CFR Part 820), HIPAA 45 CFR §§ 164.502-164.514 for operators handling protected health information, state mental health licensure laws, and the EU AI Act Annex III (high-risk AI in healthcare). The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline obligations under the Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Parity and Addiction Equity Act may also apply to operators deploying crisis-adjacent tools. (2)
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This provision creates specific safety obligations for a rapidly growing category of AI wellness apps, protecting vulnerable users from over-relying on AI in moments of crisis.
If you are using a mental health or crisis support app powered by Claude, that app is required to provide real emergency resources and must not position itself as a substitute for professional clinical care — giving you an enforceable baseline of safety protections.
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