CUHK employs AI chatbot to provide mental health support amid rising demand
The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has taken a significant step towards addressing the mental health needs of the city’s youth by introducing an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot to provide support. With a growing demand for mental health services and increasingly complex cases, CUHK has integrated generative AI into the existing Jockey Club TourHeart+ project to prioritize early intervention.
Iris Lam, head of the wellness and counseling center at CUHK, expressed the immense pressure the center faces in meeting the rising demand for services from students struggling with mental health issues. She noted that despite efforts to provide psychological support services, there has been a concerning trend of students experiencing severe mental health issues, including thoughts of suicide.
The Jockey Club TourHeart+ chatbot, now available on the app store, offers free online therapy in Cantonese, Mandarin, and English for students pursuing tertiary education. It evaluates users’ psychological well-being and recommends appropriate interventions and support. This new platform is expected to benefit 65,000 new users over four years and has already garnered interest from other universities in Hong Kong.
Winnie Mak, the principal investigator of the Jockey Club TourHeart+ Project, highlighted the potential of AI and ChatGPT to expand the platform’s services to a wider user base. The chatbot can serve as a virtual assistant, providing immediate responses and resources to users seeking help.
The introduction of this AI chatbot comes at a crucial time when youth mental health in Hong Kong is at an all-time low. Despite the concerning figures on suicide ideation and attempts among young people, the capacity of counseling services at local universities remains inadequate. The chatbot aims to provide a mental health tool for students, offering them different approaches to self-care and increasing awareness about mental health.
With the collaboration of different units within CUHK and other universities, the chatbot project also aims to support non-local students who may face challenges adapting to university life. By leveraging AI technology, the project seeks to identify and address the unique emotional issues faced by students, ultimately providing effective support for those in need.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, help is available through the Mental Health Support Hotline, The Samaritans, or Suicide Prevention Services. The introduction of the AI chatbot at CUHK represents a significant step towards improving mental health support for the city’s youth, offering a valuable resource for those in need.