Will Mental Health Get Any Better in California With Help From AI?

There is more to health than just physical. Your heart, Kidneys, liver, lungs, and other organs are vital to maintain a healthy body. There is an organ that is overlooked when we go in for a checkup, and it is arguably the most important since it is responsible for keeping all the others in line - your brain.

How Well Does California Take Care of Its Mental Health?

There is a combination of problems in California that create a complex puzzle to solve to have good mental health for California residents. The Worst States for Mental Health Care doesn’t put California in the top 10, but it's close.

One vital component of paying attention to our mental health is insurance. Some policies treat mental health visits the same as a visit to a primary care provider. Other policies may cover a percentage of the cost after the deductible is met. Some policies have catastrophic coverage and don’t cover anything until a huge out-of-pocket limit is met first. So uninsured or underinsured people don’t get the help they need.

Another problem facing good mental health is the clients themselves. Some people who would benefit from visits with a mental health professional choose not to do so. They may be trying to take care of their problems on their own, or don’t want to admit there is a problem at all. Trying to get through barriers can be difficult. Visits with mental health providers online can ease some tension, but there is a trend turning to other means of self-treatment.

Will AI Chatbots Replace Humans as People Seek Mental Health?

A recent study revealed a decline of 13% in searches online for mental health topics. Any drop in searches can only be speculation, but AI chatbots able to offer therapeutic advice has become more prevalent.

Mental health providers are divided about the use of AI for mental health. AI can provide service in speeding up tasks that need to be completed, but good mental health doesn’t come with a stopwatch. There are nuances in treating mental health issues that an AI would not be able to discern.

They've made a new artificially intelligent Oreo. It's one smart cookie.