Artificial Intelligence: Research and Applications in Mental Health and Policy and Innovation Issues in the State of Utah

The Utah Psychological Association,
presents

Artificial Intelligence: Research and Applications in Mental Health and Policy and Innovation Issues in the State of Utah

January 24, 2025
Live ZOOM Webinar

2 CE Credit Hours

Session One (1 CE): Empathy and the Machine: An introduction into Research and Applications of AI in Mental Health

Presenter: Zach Imel PhD

Overview:

Psychotherapy is a conversational intervention that has required human experts to manage its implementation. Improvements in conversational artificial intelligence (AI) have accompanied speculation on how technologies might automate components of psychotherapy, most often the replacement of human therapists. However, there is a spectrum of opportunities for human collaboration with autonomous systems in psychotherapy, including evaluation, documentation, training, and assistance. Clarity about what might be supported is necessary to understand the affordances and limitations of specific technologies and how they might be used and misused. In this talk I will provide a brief introduction into modern AI technology, how it works conceptually (no math required - sorta!), and explore applications to mental health care - particularly psychotherapy.

Objectives:

1. Provide a high-level introduction into current AI technology generally
2. Review and framework for current and possible future mental health applications of AI including potential benefits and risks.
3. Highlight several current and ongoing research studies focused on supporting the quality of mental health care with AI

Bio: Zac Imel, PhD

Zac Imel, PhD is co-founder and Chief Science Officer at Lyssn.io, a technology company focused on using artificial intelligence to assess and improve mental healthcare. He is also Professor in the Counseling and Counseling Psychology Program in the Department of Educational Psychology and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Utah. The author of more than 100 scientific publications, his work has been funded by NSF, NIMH, NIDA, NIAAA, PCORI, The John Templeton Foundation, and the Casey Foundation. He is co-author of a primary psychotherapy text, The Great Psychotherapy Debate: The Evidence for What Makes Psychotherapy Work - which offers a comprehensive review of the evidence for the effectiveness of psychotherapy.

Session Two (1 CE Credit): Policy, Innovation, and Issues in the State of Utah

Presenter: Zach Boyd PhD

Overview:

Many professionals and companies are developing and deploying artificial intelligence (AI) technology in the mental health industry, leading to both hopes for expanded access to care as well as fears of a variety of possible harms. I will share the results of a recent in-depth stakeholder survey by Utah’s Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy, including (1) emerging use cases, (2) potential benefits, and (3) likely harms from the technology. I will also share the Office’s recommendations to the state legislature, which encompass enhanced consumer protection, guidance and rules for licensed professionals, and a safe harbor for responsible AI developers and deployers in this space. Finally, I will discuss the role of regulatory mitigation to promote responsible innovation within the state.

Objectives:

1. Explain regulatory issues and opportunities related to the use of AI in mental health.
2. Explain Utah’s approach to regulating AI within the profession.
3. Illustrate how the state’s regulatory mitigation mechanism can aid with responsible deployment.

Bio: Zach Boyd PhD

Dr. Boyd is a faculty member at Brigham Young University's (BYU) mathematics department, where he teaches applied and computational mathematics. Dr. Boyd’s research lab focuses on artificial intelligence, machine learning, and mathematical modeling in social science applications, such as psychology, economics, and social networks. Before working at BYU, Dr. Boyd was a postdoctoral research associate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, an NDSEG Fellow at UCLA, a research associate at Los Alamos National Laboratory, and a Presidential Scholar at BYU.”

Registration Fees:

Register online at:   www.utpsych.org  OR Call Teresa Bruce at 801-410-0337