IHSI Events

Faculty, staff, students, practitioners, and others interested in exploring the use of large language models (LLMs) and Gen-AI chatbots in mental health services are invited to attend “Responsible AI In Mental Health Services” on Feb. 10, 11 a.m. to noon at the Levis Faculty Center, Room 210. The seminar is hosted by the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Institute (IHSI) and Office of the Chief Information Officer.

Existing evidence suggests that while Gen-AI chatbots are widely used and often perceived as helpful for mental health support, their safety remains a significant issue. Suicide-related incidents have drawn the attention of the public and mental health experts as proxies for understanding the potential dangers of unregulated Gen-AI providing mental health interventions. In response to these concerns, policymakers have begun to address AI safety through legislation and executive action. In summer 2025, Illinois passed the Wellness and Oversight for Psychological Resources Act, prohibiting the use of Gen-AI for "therapeutic communication," and in December the White House issued an executive order to pursue a national AI policy framework.

In this seminar, Christopher Larrison, a professor of social work at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and IHSI affiliate, will discuss how we can move beyond state and federal policies toward concrete, technically grounded safeguards that address the legitimate safety concerns surrounding the use of Gen-AI in mental health. Prof. Larrison will discuss the existing evidence and possible solutions that offer a viable pathway for developing Gen-AI tools that are both safe and clinically responsible.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify the mental health service gap that Gen-AI could fill.
2. Characterize current evidence of Gen-AI use as a mental health intervention.
3. Define methods for creating safe and effective Gen-AI tools for mental health.
4. Identify state policies that regulate Gen-AI in mental health services and their impact on safety.