Professional development

The Role of AI in Transforming Mental Healthcare – Webinar

The webinar held on the 14th of January 2025 offers an opportunity to learn how artificial intelligence is being applied to support mental health and wellbeing. Through real-world examples, speakers discussed how AI enhances access to care, personalizes mental health support, and aids professionals in delivering more effective interventions.

The sessions addressed ethical challenges, such as transparency, fairness, and the
balance between technology and human connection, as we consider the implications of
integrating AI into sensitive areas like mental health.

Whether you’re a professional in the field, a technology enthusiast, or someone curious about the potential of AI, this webinar provides insights into how these tools are shaping the future of mental health care.

The recording of the event is coming soon.

Guest speakers:

• Mark Hoogendoorn: “AI: What is it and how can it be used to improve wellbeing?”

• Lode Lauwaert: “An ethical perspective on AI”

• Saara Huhanantti: “Extending Mental Health Chat Support: Advancing with Technology and AI”

SUMMARIES OF THE PAST COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE MEETINGS

Summary of the First Community of Practice meeting
CH@T-YOUTH: Community of Practice meeting
This first Community of Practice meeting provided updates on work packages, discussed the future of the project, and explored stakeholder engagement and webinar topics.

Work Package Updates:
• WP2: Identified 43 online counseling organizations, primarily national NGOs, across four countries.
• WP3: Analyzed chat conversations, comparing Finnish and Hungarian services.
• WP4: Focused on community building through international practices, webinars, networks, a symposium, and a consensus paper.
• WP5: Addressed project sustainability, toolkit development, professional guidelines, and policy recommendations.

Future of CH@T-YOUTH and the Community of Practice (CoP):
Participants emphasized the CoP’s role in exchanging information and tackling challenges like mental healthcare waiting lists and chat service integration into broader systems. Suggestions included expanding the network to more European countries, involving users and volunteers, and addressing topics such as AI, digitalization, accessibility, collaboration, and funding challenges.

Webinar Topics and Stakeholder Engagement:
Topics of interest include the theoretical frameworks and research underlying chat services, chat registration standards, and training for counselors. Participants highlighted the need for collaboration with public health and private sectors to attract youth and stressed funding sustainability for chat services. Engaging stakeholders, including users and volunteers, was encouraged to enrich discussions and improve services.

Summary of the Second Community of Practice meeting

CH@T-YOUTH: Community of Practice meeting on Artificial Intelligence

The CoP featured Tim Vanhove from Artevelde University of Applied Sciences, who presented on the basics of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its potential applications in chat services. Participants discussed their personal opinions on AI, expressing mixed feelings. While some highlighted its benefits, others raised concerns about replacing human interaction, ethical considerations, and the transparency of identifying AI versus human responders.

Few organizations currently use AI, but examples included tools for providing tips to counselors. Participants explored potential uses of AI, such as generating conversation summaries, providing translations, and aiding in counselor training and research. However, concerns were raised about AI misleading users, legal accountability for AI-generated responses, and the need for robust quality control.

Overall, the discussion underscored the importance of balancing AI’s potential advantages with transparency, user preferences, and the irreplaceable role of human counselors in youth support services.

Summary of the Third Community of Practice meeting

CH@T-YOUTH: Crisis help through chat

The Community of Practice group continues to grow, with participants from diverse countries, including Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Malta, Spain, and Bulgaria. This session took the form of an intervision and featured Marie Van Der Cam from SAM vzw, who shared insights on managing crisis conversations involving suicidal ideation across various national contexts.
Professor Alexis Dewaele from Ghent University gave a presentation on the state of the art on suicide research and discussed the benefits of chat counseling for youth in crisis. Chat services enhance accessibility and anonymity, making it easier for young people to discuss sensitive issues like mental health or suicidal thoughts. The absence of non-verbal cues encourages deeper focus on content, while writing can have therapeutic effects. Chat counseling also gives clients autonomy to control the pace. Combining chat services with traditional therapy (blended care) improves overall support and flexibility for youth in crisis.

Marie Van Der Cam led a discussion on handling suicide in chat conversations. During breakout rooms, participants shared their approaches when suicidal ideation becomes apparent, revealing diverse strategies:
• Establishing a safe space: Creating a supportive environment and expressing genuine concern for the client.
• Risk assessment: Evaluating the severity of the client’s suicidal thoughts and depressive feelings to understand risk levels.
• Detecting and addressing signals: Encouraging counselors to express suspicion and make assessments when warning signs are observed.
• Exploring meaning: Understanding the client’s reasons for their thoughts and their ambivalence regarding their situation.
• Positive reinforcement: Acknowledging the bravery it takes for clients to discuss suicidal thoughts, helping build rapport.
• Permission for third-party contact: Seeking the client’s consent to involve emergency services or family members when necessary.
• Staying calm: Emphasizing the importance of counselors remaining calm and focused during conversations to provide a stable support environment.
• Protocol adherence: Following established protocols to ensure consistent handling of sensitive situations, especially when a client’s life is at risk.

Feedback from the breakout rooms revealed several insights. Participants noted similarities in approaches, with risk assessment and safety planning as common steps. However, differences emerged regarding timelines and protocols for contacting emergency services. Support for counselors was emphasized through regular debriefings and professional networks, highlighting the importance of preparation and clear protocols.

Helsinki symposium

Helsinki CHAT-YOUTH meeting took place on Thursday 22.8.2024 at Tieteiden talo. During the day our multinational CHAT-YOUTH consortium shared research results and discussed the best practices for online councelling chat services (OCCS) for children and young people. We were joined by representatives from various councelling chat services and other experts on youth research and we were able to share observations from multiple chat platforms as well as the newest research findings on the topic. The theme of the meeting was Research and Practice.

Madrid symposium

The hybrid kick-off meeting for partners and experts was arranged on Thursday the 25th of January 2024 in Madrid, Spain.

Project team

ERASMUS+ KA220-YOU – Cooperation partnerships in youth.

Alexis Dewaele, Lien Goossens and Elke Denayer, Universiteit Gent, Belgium
Maria Cabello Salmerón and Irati Higuera Lozano, La Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain
Katalin Felvinczi, Zsuza Kaló and Mónika Rényi, Eötvös Loránd University, Hungary
Tuuli Pitkänen, Siiri Soininvaara, Finnish Youth Research Society, Finland