The 2025 recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award is Dr John Torous.

Dr John Torous is a pioneer whose work has made digital mental health more ethical, equitable, and profoundly human-centred. Bridging engineering and psychiatry, he has not only built tools but also made them accessible to all. He created a Digital Literacy Curriculum that makes technology approachable and brought research insights directly into clinical care.

As co-lead of the APA App Advisor Workgroup, he helped establish a transparent decision-support tool for safe app use. His work in digital clinics and user-friendly platforms has turned smartphones into real supports, not just gadgets.

What sets Dr Torous apart is his unwavering focus on lifting others. He places lived experience, especially peer voices, at the centre of advisory teams, research, and training. In California, he helped make digital literacy a required competency for Certified Peer Specialists, the only statewide mandate of its kind.

Dr John Torous demonstrates that trust in technology grows when peers design, teach, and support its use. His work exemplifies visionary, human-centred leadership in digital mental health.

Congratulations to Dr John Torous.