In Grand Junction, Colorado, lawmakers are advancing House Bill 26-1195, which aims to restrict the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in mental health care. The bill mandates that psychotherapy must solely be conducted by licensed human clinicians to safeguard patient welfare. Under this legislation, AI will be prohibited from directly interacting with patients or independently creating treatment plans without human oversight. Rep. Gretchen Rydin, the bill’s sponsor, emphasizes that AI lacks critical clinical judgment for handling high-risk scenarios and cannot perform crucial functions like crisis responses or safety planning. The bill further requires written consent from patients if AI is used for recording therapy sessions, and it prevents companies from marketing AI tools as substitutes for licensed therapists. While AI can assist with administrative tasks, any outputs must be reviewed by a licensed clinician before reaching patients. This regulation aims to preserve the essential human element in therapeutic relationships.
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