Youth co-design:
Youth co-design: Playbl’s games are designed and developed in partnership with adolescents. They work with the team from the beginning of each project and at every stage so the games reflect their stories, their voices and their vision. Playbl then engages them to evaluate the games to demonstrate that they work.

Playbl

Playbl uses the power of play to improve health outcomes for adolescents: five evidence-based digital health games focus on mental health, substance misuse (vaping and opioids) and sexual health by targeting risk prevention and health promotion. Games are used as general prevention and targeted interventions within schools and other settings.
Product specs
  • Student mental health focus areas: Develop life and character-building skills 
  • Product category: Curriculum/lessons, Screening/assessment, Self-guided activities 
  • Age of users: 10-20
  • Technology required: Web browser 
  • Tiers of intervention: Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3 
  • District experience: 1,001-5,000 students; 5,001-10,000 students; 10,001-20,000 students; 20,001-50,000 students
  • Free version available?: Free for students in some states (Kentucky)

Impact

The games were developed and evaluated by the play2PREVENT Lab, using the most rigorous scientific methods. They are backed by over 25 published papers in peer-reviewed journals including: empowerED, PlaySmart1, PlaySmart2. Playbl has found significant and sustained health outcomes in children and adolescents.

Privacy & Safety

Playbl is COPPA compliant because they do not collect any personal information from children. They fully support the efforts of any school they work with to comply with FERPA.  

Data provided to school/district

Playbl has developed a user engagement data dashboard that collects comprehensive user engagement data directly from the back-end system of each game. These data include time spent, content exposed to, replay statistics, and can be based on the individual or aggregated.

Accessibility
  • Web accessibility: Playbl fully supports the efforts of any school they work with to comply with WCAG 2.1 AA guidelines.
  • Language: Playbl’s games are currently

Youth co-design:
Youth co-design: Playbl’s games are designed and developed in partnership with adolescents. They work with the team from the beginning of each project and at every stage so the games reflect their stories, their voices and their vision. Playbl then engages them to evaluate the games to demonstrate that they work.

Note

All information was provided by the company in April 2024. We encourage you to ask for up-to-date information as well as any additional information needed, when considering products.  

Student mental health focus areas
Technology required
Tiers of intervention