A20 - AI's Next Frontier: A Promising Breakthrough in Supporting Individuals With Serious Mental Illness

Monday, April 27, 2026

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM MDT

Location: 711

Fewer than 1% of behavioral health practitioners are trained to treat psychosis, leaving many clients without proper care. A recent study by the University of Washington and Lyssn.io showed that specialized AI-enhanced training for serious mental illness (SMI) significantly improved provider skills and client recovery outcomes. Unlike traditional methods, the program combined bite-sized lessons with immediate AI feedback on clinician practice, marking the first successful approach of its kind. This presentation will explore key findings from the study and their implications for expanding access to effective SMI training and treatment.

Learning Objectives:

Identify current gaps in behavioral health practitioner training for psychosis and SMI interventions.
Explain how AI-enhanced training can improve provider skills and client outcomes in behavioral health.
Analyze findings from the University of Washington and Lyssn.io study on CBT for Psychosis training.

Disclosure(s):

Sarah Kopelovich, PhD: No financial relationships to disclose

Zac Imel, PhD: No financial relationships to disclose

Brian Allender, MD: No financial relationships to disclose

Christina Soma, PhD: No relevant disclosure to display

Breakout Presenter(s)

Sarah Kopelovich, PhD

Associate Professor
University of Washington School of Medicine
Seattle, Washington

Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose
Zac Imel, PhD

Chief Science Officer
Lyssn
Seattle, Washington

Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose

Slides
Brian Allender, MD

Chief Medical Officer
Behavioral Health and Recovery Division of King County
Kent, Washington

Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose
Christina Soma, PhD

Research Scientist and Clinical Implementation Consultant
Lyssn
Fort Collins , Colorado

Disclosure(s): No relevant disclosure to display