Navigating the Impact of AI in the Field of Mental Health

Workshop Overview

AI – friend or foe? The pervasive questions of how to harness AI’s potential while navigating its ethical complexities have touched nearly every profession, and the field of Mental Health is no exception. 

In just over a year since its remarkable debut, OpenAI has solidified its presence as an influential entity on the global stage. Whether viewed as a friend or a foe, its impact is undeniable.  

This CPD workshop delves into the realm of AI within the context of Mental Health, examining both its promise and current limitations. 

Specific focus is given to the prevailing mental health challenges in South Africa, marked by an expanding resource gap and legislative hurdles. It is against this backdrop that it is important to explore the potential role AI can play now or may assume in the future.  

The workshop aims to acquaint participants with the impact AI has already made on the mental health landscape, while also highlighting ethical dilemmas that persist with this innovative technology. There is a strong focus on how to ensure AI integration aligns with ethical principles without compromising client well-being. 

Is this workshop for you?

This workshop is for mental health professionals who are curious about how to augment their work with AI tools and technologies, whilst ensuring their clients receive the best ethical care. 

Dates and Registration

Class of 2025: on-demand

Participants can register at any time and move through the workshop content within 5 days. There is no live session. You will have 5 days to watch the live workshop recording, complete the online journal articles and answer a 15-question multiple choice questionnaire.

Certification

This CPD workshop has been designed for mental health professionals interested in knowing more about some of the innovations that have taken place over the last decade, as well as framing the ethical concerns that prevail in this new, innovative space. Once you have completed the course, you will receive a digital certificate of completion.

The certificate serves as evidence of your new skills and knowledge and can be used to demonstrate your commitment to professional development. 

Attend a live online session, or watch the recording, and complete an online reading and assessment. 

HPCSA registered professionals will receive 3 CPD points [3 CEU Continuing Education Units points] upon successful completion of the workshop.

Workshop Overview

• Introduction of the topic and overview of the workshop. 
• Evolving human-AI relationship. 
• Emphasis on HCI’s user-centric design. 
• Accessibility and usability in AI interfaces. 
• Ethical interaction as a core principle. 
• Policy development and implementation gap. 
• Current mental health infrastructure challenges. 
• Service delivery challenges. 
• Brief overview of AI technologies currently in use in mental health fields. 
• Potential exacerbation of mental health. 
• The curious case of chatbots. 
• Ethical challenges in use of AI and GenAI (privacy, informed consent, legal responsibility, and bias). 
• Impact of the digital divide. 
• Identifying best practices for incorporating AI into mental health practices without compromising ethical standards. 
• Concluding thoughts on ethical of use of AI in mental health. 

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the workshop practitioners will:

• Acknowledge that many ethical concerns don’t have immediate solutions, some of the key ethical considerations will be explored.   
• Empower mental health practitioners as they embark on the seemingly inevitable integration of this new technology into their professional lives.   
• Provide insights that foster a thoughtful and informed approach to the evolving intersection of AI and Mental Health. 
• Critically reflected on the mental health landscape in South Africa. 
• Explore the present and future potential application of AI technologies in mental health, as well as a brief overview of their implications for exacerbating or alleviating mental health challenges. 
• Understand the unique impact of chatbots, specifically considering their role, efficacy, and limitations as an adjunct to traditional therapy. 
• Develop insight into the matrix of AI and mental health, addressing critical issues such as privacy, informed consent, and the impact of South African legislative limitations and bias. 
• Understand how to ensure AI integration aligns with ethical principles without compromising client well-being. 

Workshop Presenters

Clare Chester 

Clare Chester is a registered Counselling Psychologist and has been practising for 25 years. She has always been passionate about higher education and worked at a student counselling centre for the first 13 years of her career. Clare is a full-time Educator at SACAP, teaching across a variety of subjects and cohorts, with a special interest in Ethics and Crisis and Trauma Counselling.

Carl Badenhorst 

Carl Badenhorst is the Head of Learning Design and Online Teaching at SACAP. He loves creating meaningful learning experiences through technology and creative methodologies, and integrating the latest advancements in generative AI and human-computer interaction. Carl is committed to pushing the boundaries of traditional education, advocating the use of AI to simulate real-world scenarios and immersive experiences.