VERA-MH: New Standards for AI in Mental Health
Spring Health has launched VERA-MH, a new system designed to ensure the safe and effective use of AI chatbots in mental health care. Developed with input from technology, healthcare, and ethics experts, this open-source framework aims to set clear guidelines for evaluating AI tools that provide psychological support.
Recent data shows that nearly 49% of U.S. adults have turned to AI chatbots for mental health support in the past year. This trend highlights the increasing reliance on these tools, but it also raises concerns. Many of these chatbots were not created specifically for mental health and often lack the necessary clinical oversight and safeguards.
Dr. Mill Brown, Chief Medical Officer at Spring Health, emphasizes the importance of this initiative: “AI can significantly help people’s mental health journeys, but we must prevent tragedies that have occurred from misuse.” The goal of VERA-MH is to create a safety standard for AI tools, ensuring they can recognize when someone is in crisis and know when to escalate to a human clinician.
Experts like Dr. Nina Vasan, from Stanford’s Brainstorm Lab, stress that we need to act quickly. “AI is moving faster than regulations can keep up with,” she explains. “Setting these standards now is crucial for protecting users.” The VERA-MH framework includes evaluation criteria for AI systems to ensure they respond appropriately in emergencies.
An essential part of this project is community input. From now until December 20, 2025, Spring Health is inviting feedback from clinicians, researchers, and AI developers to improve VERA-MH. This open dialogue aims to make the framework as robust as possible.
This initiative not only prioritizes user safety but also encourages transparency in mental health AI. By publishing all findings and evaluations openly, Spring Health hopes to foster collaboration and future research in the field.
For organizations and individuals interested in contributing, the full concept paper and feedback form can be found at www.springhealth.com/VERA-MH.
AI tools have great potential in mental health care, but it’s crucial that we use them wisely. With initiatives like VERA-MH, we can ensure that these technologies serve as a positive force in mental health support.
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