Founded by chartered psychologist Cath Kerr and trauma therapist, Dr Liz Royle, KRTS offers digital applications that support psychological health and wellbeing. Tony McDonough reports

Liverpool digital firm KRTS International has secured £10,000 to develop a new app that provides vital mental health support for survivors of sexual violence.

Founded by chartered psychologist Cath Kerr and trauma therapist, Dr Liz Royle, KRTS offers digital applications that support psychological health and wellbeing and they have developed Moving Forward in collaboration with Dublin Rape Crisis Centre.

Compliant with standards set by groups such as the World Health Organisation and the British Psychological Society, and clinically supported by therapists, Moving Forward is a tool to specifically help victims suffering from trauma following sexual violence.

The £10,000 has been secured via the LCR Active programme, a Liverpool city region initiative that provides support and funding to help digital and creative SMEs in the grow using emerging technologies.

It is funded by the European Regional Development Fund, led by Liverpool John Moores University and run in partnership with the Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership.

Moving Forward is in the final stages of development and is set to launch as a pilot scheme later this year. Cath Kerr, co-founder of KRTS International, said: “Our passion is to make sure that the right person gets the right support at the right time, as well as addressing the stigma surrounding mental health.

“There’s no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution when it comes to tackling mental health challenges, but we believe that the Moving Forward app can empower users in tackling them head-on.”

KRTS International also recently launched its workplace crisis mental health app, KRTS Power to Respond, which provides immediate aftercare for employees dealing with trauma and crisis mental health issues within and outside the workplace.

After receiving bespoke business support and consultation from the LCR Activate programme to develop KRTS Power to Respond, the app went on to win the 2019 CIR Business Awards and secured an NHS hospital as its first customer on a licensing basis.