Spring Health Backs New AI in Mental Health Safety & Ethics Council

In a press release, a coalition of leaders from academia, healthcare, and technology announced the creation of the AI in Mental Health Safety & Ethics Council, supported by Spring Health. The Council will develop universal standards for the safe and ethical use of artificial intelligence in mental health care.

The group will create VERA-MH (Validation of Ethical and Responsible AI in Mental Health), an open-source and automated evaluation framework designed to assess the clinical safety and efficacy of AI tools used in mental health. The framework will be built collaboratively and made publicly available.

Council members include experts from institutions such as Stanford University, Yale School of Medicine, Harvard Business School, and the University of Münster, as well as representatives from Microsoft, JPMorgan Chase, Kaiser Permanente, UnitedHealthcare, and Evernorth Health Services. They will meet regularly to refine and implement VERA-MH.

Spring Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Mill Brown said the initiative aims to establish much-needed guardrails for AI in mental health, ensuring that tools are clinically validated and trustworthy. The Council’s work is intended to provide a shared foundation for providers, payers, and policymakers navigating the fast-growing AI mental health landscape.