Mental health is a complex and critical issue that affects people of all ages. According to Mental Health America, 19.86% of adults in the United States are experiencing a mental illness, which is equivalent to nearly 50 million Americans. While there are many treatments available, not everyone can access them, and some treatments are not effective for everyone. Mental health services are also in a state of crisis, and we are seeing the traditional model of care failing. Statistics from Mental Health America show that over half (54.7%) of adults with a mental illness do not receive treatment, which is equivalent to over 28 million people. It’s time for something new, and AI can help. In this blog post, we’ll introduce you to 5 companies using AI to improve mental health services.
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Ieso is an online therapy platform that is making use of artificial intelligence to keep their standards of care high and to help train therapists. They are doing so by using natural-language processing (NLP) to analyze the language used in its therapy sessions. In this case, the AI processes session transcripts, and then uses the information it receives to help provide therapists with better insights into their work. The information gleaned from this process is used to help future therapists on their journeys and to ensure high standards of care are maintained.
This startup is working to help detect depression and anxiety in patients faster just from their voices. Kintsugi was founded in 2019 by technologist Grace Chang and machine learning scientist Rima Seiilova-Olson after the two talked about their personal struggles with mental health and identified an infrastructure problem. An article by Fierce Healthcare explains that, the company’s “voice biomarker technology works to score clinical depression and anxiety from 20 seconds of free-form speech in any language. Its voice dataset was collected through its consumer-facing application, a talk therapy app used in more than 250 international cities with over 100,000 downloads.” Detecting mental health issues and properly diagnosing patients is a process that can be both complex and lengthy, which is why this type of technology meets such an important need in the area of mental health services.
Founded in 2017 by clinical research psychologist Dr. Alison Darcy, Woebot is an emotionally intelligent chatbot that combines AI and NLP technology with proven therapies, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). Woebot learns and evolves from all of its interactions, and has been shown to form a trusted bond with users in as little as 3 to 5 days. As a company, Woebot aims to “deliver individual support through interactive and easy-to-use solutions that integrate naturally into care ecosystems, and lives.” This technology is currently free for personal use, and is a fantastic tool aiming to improve access to mental health services.
Quartet Health describes itself as “a platform that makes it easier for people to get the best mental health care for them.” Everyone responds differently to different types of therapy, therapists and medication, and it can be difficult for people to find the right fit for them in all of these areas. Quartet Health aims to address this issue by using AI and machine learning to match users with the right mental health resources. Today, over 300,000 patients connect with Quartet to obtain mental health care, evidence of the part this company is playing in improving mental health services for all.
Limbicconsiders itself to be “an AI therapy assistant for care providers, clinicians and service users.” The company’s therapy assistant provides CBT to patients while on the waitlist for the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS) and aids them in accessing the correct treatment pathways. Limbic takes advantage of one of the most significant opportunities in AI, which is the use of the technology in conjunction with humans rather than as a replacement tool. By maintaining a unique human touch, Limbic is optimizing patient experiences and improving predictions and outcomes.
As advancements in technology continue to grow, so do the number of opportunities for companies to change the landscape of mental health services. From digital tools that provide on-the-go support to AI chatbots that can help people manage their symptoms, there are a variety of ways that people are using artificial intelligence to improve how we take care of our mental health. While there is still a long way to go before we can say that everyone who needs help has access to it, it’s exciting to see the progress being made each day!
