Illinois bill signed into law regulating use of AI in therapy

Illinois bill signed into law regulating use of AI in therapy

Meanwhile, on Friday, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed a new law that bans the use of AI as therapy. This passed the Illinois House and Senate with unanimous support. Drew Coffy spoke with local health professionals about why face to face interaction is essential for those in need. For those seeking out mental health services, finding the right therapist can be a challenge sometimes, and people are actually using AI technology to find those services. A few clicks away, people now turning to artificial intelligence for therapeutic help, but this week, Governor Pritzker signing legislation that limits the use of AI in mental health services, only allowing for supplementary support services for health professionals. But what does that look like for therapists like Dr. Debbie Summers at South Park Psychology? They recommend their clients use AI for exercises and practices that can help with anxiety. A lot of times I’ll give them a handout or we’ll go through that in our session, but then they get home. And they’re like, I don’t really remember what we did or I don’t know exactly how to do this that’s something you could put in and ask. Every client is different. That’s why Summers says AI may struggle with dealing with specific challenges brought to the therapy room. So to get, you know, information and sharing through um something other than a human therapist just seems like a stretch. I don’t know if you can get. — That level of understanding therapy
— is important, but it’s not pretty. Alexandra Iman Van Meter has been coming to South Park Psychology for nearly a year and says — she’s not sure if a computer can offer sufficient help to those who need it
— most. You know, with our sympathetic nervous system, I think there’s something we experience with another human being that just can’t be recreated with technology, and AI, I don’t think we’ll ever be able to recreate a. People’s ability to connect or read the room, you know, you’re understanding me, so you’re nodding your head and that gives me feedback. OK, you’re, you’re hearing what I’m saying. — It’s all about trust
— and being that vulnerable to acknowledge like these are my problems, — these are my traumas
— and embracing new technology. Embrace it and um use it in a way that helps our clients ultimately. M Moline Drew Coffy WQAD News 8. Now Doctor Summers says AI can also help therapists take notes during sessions. This week another new law, by the way, requires universal mental health screenings in public schools. Illinois is the first state to do that.

A Moline psychologist talks about how AI can be a useful tool, but that it can’t fully replace face-to-face interaction, as needs differ from person to person.

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