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Live Webinar

Ethics Before Efficiency: Responsible AI Use in Behavioral Healthcare

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Information

Date & Time

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

  • Identify at least four ethical risks associated with using AI in behavioral health and other professional settings

  • Differentiate appropriate AI-assisted tasks from decisions requiring direct professional judgment and human oversight

  • Describe at least three strategies for protecting confidentiality, obtaining informed consent, evaluating bias, and verifying AI-generated information

  • Apply an ethical decision-making framework to common scenarios involving documentation, treatment planning, communication, and client use

Educational Goal

The educational goal of this workshop is for participants to apply a structured ethical framework (the SAFE check) to evaluate AI tools before clinical use, addressing sensitive data handling, accuracy/accountability, fairness for diverse populations, and informed consent.

Description

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how behavioral health professionals document care, communicate with clients, access information, and make clinical decisions. While these tools may improve efficiency and expand access, they also raise ethical concerns related to confidentiality, informed consent, accuracy, bias, professional competence, and the therapeutic relationship.

In this one-hour webinar, media psychologist and technology expert Dr. Don Grant will examine real-world uses of AI in behavioral healthcare. Participants will consider AI-assisted documentation, clinical decision support, mental health chatbots, and client use of generative AI, then apply a practical framework designed to preserve human oversight, professional accountability, and client trust. Participants will also be able to identify when AI use, including client-facing AI companions, may affect the therapeutic relationship, and articulate that the qualified human professional retains ultimate responsibility for clinical decisions.

Target Audience

  • Addiction Professional
  • Counselor
  • Marriage & Family Therapist
  • Nurse
  • Physician
  • Psychologist
  • Social Worker

Presenters

Dr. Don Grant, Ph.D., MA, MFA, DAC, SUDCC IV is an internationally recognized and award-winning media psychologist, author, researcher, Doctoral Addictions Counselor, and educator with specific expertise in technology's impact on mental health, and the National Advisor of Healthy Device Management for Newport Healthcare. He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA), Past President of the APA Division 46 (The Society for Media Psychology & Technology), and currently serves as a Division 46 Executive Board Member At Large, Chair of the APA (D46) “Device Management & Intelligence” committee, and Co-Chair of the APA (D46) “Digital Harm Reduction” committee. He is also an APA Advocacy Division Partner Liaison, APA Division Science Partner, and Treasurer of the California Psychological Association Division VI (Technology, Media, & Artificial Intelligence). Dr. Grant designs and facilitates “Healthy Device Management” and “Good Digital Citizenship” treatment strategy and educational training workshops for clinicians, practitioners, educators, parents, and academic communities. He is a globally respected and popular conference keynote speaker, webinar, podcast, onscreen broadcast interview guest, and print content contributor on device related behaviors, addiction, and media psychology. His on camera, print, interview, and content publication contributions include: The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Time Magazine, Forbes, The Hill, The Hollywood Reporter, Vanity Fair, Business Insider, APA Monitor on Psychology, Wondermind, CNN, ABC News, CBS News, NBC networks, Fox News Networks, The Daily Show, and a two-page People Magazine feature story about him and his work. His current research includes two recently completed national studies in partnership with the Newport Healthcare Center for Research and Innovation investigating his theories surrounding the potential impact of a caregiver’s device use behaviors on attachment bonds. Dr. Grant is also engaged in explorations of the potential impact of A.I. and “chatbot companions” on users, identity construct effects of social media, para-social-media relationships, and cyberaggression targeted towards adolescents, teens, young adults, families, and our culture/relationships-at-large. Other recent and current projects include: serving on the “Expert Advisory Panel” on behalf of three recently released APA scientific reports (two exploring the A.I./chatbot phenomenon and another on healthy teen video viewing), an international publisher commissioned “Healthy Device Management and Practices of Good Digital Citizenship” treatment curriculum workbook designed specifically for practitioners, treatment programs, and educators, serving as Chapter Leader, Co-Editor, and contributing author in collaboration with a cohort of global experts on several chapters recently published in a special handbook by Springer Publishing (in partnership with Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development), as a chapter author on the beliefs, behaviors, and impacts of device-centric engagement for two academic handbooks with specific focus on device-centric behaviors, and partnering with the National Association of Behavioral Healthcare “Youth Services Committee” on the development, content creation, and launch of “Safe Connections,” their new national “Youth Services Cyberhealth” campaign.

Financially Sponsored By

  • Newport Healthcare