EMHIC25 Day 2 | EMHIC

eMHIC Congress: Day 2

The second day of the eMHIC congress offered a focused exploration of AI and Machine Learning applications in mental health, emphasizing practical solutions for adolescent and youth well-being, alongside critical discussions on early intervention, prevention strategies, and ensuring truly equitable access and digital inclusion.

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Session 3.1 - Morning Plenary

Taimi Allan: Master of Ceremonies
Welcome to Day One:
- Prof. Anil Thapliyal, eMHIC [NZ] 06:50
KEYNOTE Transforming and Unlocking Mental Health Care through e-Solutions: Innovating for Impact
- The Honourable Katherine Hay Senator, Senate of Canada; Former President & CEO, Kids Help Phone [CA] 15:00
KEYNOTE How digital is helping realise the mass public benefit of evidence-based psychological therapies: lessons from the English experience
- Prof. David Clark, University of Oxford [GB] 40:14
KEYNOTE Winning with Wellness: Sport-Based Social Media Strategies for Youth Mental Health
- Dwayne de Rosario, DeRo Foundation [CA] 1:08:19
BRAG & STEAL PANEL – Government Led Capacity Building
- FACILITATOR: Kana Enomoto, McKinsey [US] 1:19:34
- PANELLISTS:
  - Holly Coole, Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency [GB]
  - Niki Legge, Government Newfoundland & Labrador [CA]
  - A/Prof. Daniel Fung, Institute of Mental Health [SG]
  - Phil Grady, Health NZ Te Whatu Ora [NZ]
  - Dr. Ken Carswell, WHO [US]

Session 4.1 - Invited Speakers

Session Chair: Karen Hay (Salesforce)

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The Next Best Step: The Mental Health Commission of Canada on Quality E-Mental Health and Collaborative Learning Across Borders
- Maureen Abbot (Mental Health Commission of Canada [CA]) 01:38
Mental Health in a Connected World: Closing Gaps, Centering Youth, Driving Change
- Dr. Zeinab Hijazi (UNICEF [UN]) 12:11
From Open-Access Tools to Nationwide Scale-Up: New Insights from WHO’s Digital Mental Health Work
- Dr. Ken Carswell (WHO [US]) 22:26
A Review of Digital Mental Health Practices in Asia
- Chunxi Liu (New York University Shanghai [CN]) 32:42
Transforming Mental Health Research and Practice Training: Inviting You to DIVERT Mental Health Systems
- Dr. Rebecca Pillai Riddell (York University [CA]) 42:23
BRAG & STEAL PANEL – Digital Mental Health Activation
- FACILITATOR: Dr. Nicole Bardikoff (Grand Challenges Canada [CA])
- PANELLISTS:
  - Maureen Abbott (Mental Health Commission of Canada [CA]) 55:36
  - Kate Newhouse (Kooth [GB]) 59:30
  - Yuan-Hwa Chou (Taichung Veterans General Hospital [CI]) 1:05:27
  - Dr. Megan Jones Bell (Google [US]) 1:13:31
  - Dr. Rebecca Pillai Riddell (York University [CA])
- Q&A 1:18:30

Session 4.2 - AI and Machine Learning in Mental Health

Session Chair: Jim Stringham (Drive Health)

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Real-World Evidence for AI-Augmented Digital Support in Severe Mental Illness
- CO-PRESENTERS Amos Adler (A4i [CA]) & Dr. Sean Kidd (Centre for Addiction & Mental Health [CA]) 0:45
Evidence at Scale: How AI Democratizes Measurement-Based Care
- Ravi Ganesan (Core Solutions Inc. [US]) 08:51
Bridging the Gap Between Mental Health Care and Artifical Intelligence Adoption Through Reflective Learning
- CO-PRESENTERS Prof. David Wijer & Bryn Davies (University Health Network [CA]) 18:34
MindPeers: Precision Mental Healthcare: How AI Agents Transform Detection, Engagement & Outcomes
- Kanika Agarwal (MindPeers [SG]) 28:25
AI for Good: Leveraging AI/ML to Strengthen Human Connection in Crisis Response and Prevention
- Dr. Tracy Costigan (Crisis Text Line [US]) 40:17
AI-Driven Multi-Modal Assessments and the Future of Scalable and Tailored Mental Health Support
- Dr. Rahul Khanna (Transforming Trauma Victoria, Phoenix Austrailia [AU]) 51:29
Multimodal Framework for Therapeutic Consultations
- A/Prof. Venkat Bhat (University of Toronto [CA]) 1:01:04
Scaling Compassion in Behavioral Health and Closing Post-Discharge Gaps with Agentic Labor
- Kevin Longoria (Drive Health [US]) 1:11:31
Q&A 1:23:35

Session 4.3 - Adolescent and Youth in Digital Mental Health

Session Chair: Abby Walker (Kids Help Phone)

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Co-Creating Technology Solutions for Community Children and Youth Mental Health Providers
- CO-PRESENTERS Jason Pun & Angela Simo Brown (Capitalize for Kids [CA]) 01:10
Young People in the Digital Era
- Nicholas Watters (Knowledge Institute for Child and Youth Mental Health and Addictions [CA]) 11:38
When Experience Meets Innovation: Building a New Model for Youth Mental Health
- CO-PRESENTERS Dr. Lynne Green & Kate Newhouse (Kooth [GB]) 22:32
A Hybrid Machine Learning Approach to Safe and Consistent Crisis Detection in Digital Platforms
- Dr. Gregory Kiar (Child Mind Institute [CA]) 34:29
Why is this Mental Health App Not Deleted in 30 seconds? Lessons Learned from Foundry BC Platform
- Al Raimundo (Foundry BC [CA]) 45:38
While We Wait: A New Model to Address Adolescents’ Psychological Needs with Digital Technologies During the Wait Time for Treatment
- Dr. Robyn da Silva (Flinders Institute for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Flinders University [AU]) 56:02
Co-creating Responsible AI for Mental Health with Adolescents
- Dr. Caroline Figueroa (Delft University of Technology [NL]) 1:06:39
Beyond Single Stories: Centring Black Immigrant Youth Voices in Mental Health Access Research
- Temitayo Sodunke (Dalhousie University [CA]) 1:18:28

Session 4.4 - Early Intervention and Prevention Strategies

Session Chair: Yvette Roke (GGz Centraal)

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We Can’t Do It All. Testing A Digital Mental Wellbeing Program Tailored to Individuals’ Priorities for Living Well
- Elli Kolovos (Flinders University Institute of Mental Health and Wellbeing [AU]) 01:58
Low-Intensity Digital Solutions to Support Recovery While Waiting for Eating Disorder Treatment
- Dr. Madelaine de Valle (Flinders University [AU]) 12:01
Participatory Development and Testing of Digital Single-Session Interventions for Eating Disorder Prevention in University Students
- Maya Jabs (Flinders University [AU]) 22:03
Effectiveness of a Waitlist Eating Disorder Chatbot Intervention: A Randomised Controlled Trial
- Prof. Gemma Sharp (Consortium for Research in Eating Disorders [AU]) 31:52
Hype or Help? Grounding Digital Mental Health Supports in Evidence for Families
- CO-PRESENTERS Dr. Aislin Mushquash (Lakehead University [CA]) & Dr. Leslie Roos (University of Manitoba [CA]) 43:28
STRESSOMETER: Globally unique digital screening solution for an Interconnected World
- Dr. Sandeep Vohra (NWNT & VNC [IN]) 54:02
Access to Crisis Support as a Human Right
- Dr. Alan Woodward (LifeLine International [AU]) 1:02:22
Public Health Preparedness: How Digital Mental Health Will Save the World
- Dr. Steven Locke (Behavioral Health Integration Solutions [US]) 1:12:52
Q&A 1:24:00

Session 4.5 - Equitable Access and Digital Inclusion

Session Chair: Samuel Breau (Mental Health Commission of Canada)

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Shared Strength (Спільна Сила): Delivering Scalable, Localized Mental Health Support for Displaced Ukrainians
- Dr. Trevor van Mierlo (Evolution Health [US]) 00:31
Federated Data Governance for Non-Profits: A Safe and Smart Way to Connect Mental Health, Housing, and Other Systems of Care
- Konrad Qurban (Axon Health | University of Ottawa [CA]) 12:15
It’s Time to Reconsider How We Support People at the Intersection of Mental Health and Social Outcomes
- Fiona Armstrong (Liquid [AU]) 23:03
National Mindline 1771
- A/Prof. Christopher Cheok (Institute of Mental Health Singapore [SG]) 33:19
Suicide.ca: A Unique Digital Suicide Prevention Service
- Kathy Laramée (Association québécoise en prévention du suicide [CA]) 44:22
Bridging the Digital Divide: Exploring the Role of Digital Navigators in Healthcare Settings
- Iman Kassam (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health [CA]) 53:43
Balancing Between Open Access and Equity-oriented Data Collection: Developing Implementation Guidelines to Advance Mental Health and Substance Use Health Equity in Digital Solutions
- CO-PRESENTERS Jenna Keeble (Women’s College Hospital [CA]), Dr. Mary Bartram (Rideauwood Addiction and Family Services, Carleton University [CA]) & Dr. Hajin Lee (Women’s College Hospital [CA]) 1:04:01

Session 4.6 - Lived Experience, Peer Support and Carers

Session Chair: Dr. Patricia Lingley-Pottie (Strongest Families Institute)

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Empowering Peer Support in the Age of AI: Human Connection, Ethics, and Lived Experience now
- Hayley Peek (Hayley Peek Consulting [CA]) 00:51
The Best is Yet to Come
- Grace Curtis (New Zealand Government [NZ]) 11:37
Designing a Systemic Digital Mental Health Resource for Families
- Ellen Welsh (The Bouverie Centre [AU]) 21:24
The Value of the Mental Health Family Carers – in a Digital Age
- Nicole Waldron (Victory Speaks Productions [CA]) 30:57
More Than a Checkbox: How to Meaningfully Include Youth & People with Lived Experience (Without Tokenizing Them)
- Raffela Mancuso (Staya [CA]) 43:57
Digital Approaches to Strengthen Mental Health Literacy in Singapore
- Joseph Quek (Health Promotion Board [SG]) 54:13
The Power of Digital Lived Experience: A journey into the Life Experience Library and how to utilize it as a resource in your work
- Jimmy Westerheim (The Human Aspect [NO]) 1:04:08
Q&A 1:26:10

Session 4.8 - Virtual stream

Global Mental Health Equity: Tackling Biases in Digital Mental Health Assessment Tools
- Cindy Hansen Holistic Research Canada [CA] 00:00
Enhancing Mental Health Support Between Sessions: The Role of AI & Digital Tools
- CO-PRESENTERS Sally-Anne McCormack & Keira MacDonald ANTSA Pty Ltd [AU] 09:18
The impact of social media usage on adolescent depression: A Systematic review and meta-analysis
- Dr. William Mude Flinders University [AU] 19:41
Using AI/ML to Translate Youth Language into a Clinical Context to Support Frontline Staff
- CO-PRESENTERS Dr. Lydia Sequeira & Jocelyn Rankin Kids Help Phone [CA] 30:08
A Digital Connected Care Hub Transforming Access to Integrated Health and Social Support Services
- Malik Rizwan Valentia Technologies [NZ] 39:56
AI Chatbot as a Kurdish Mental Health Clinician: A Digital Mental Health Program
- Darya Rostam Koya University [IQ] 49:24
The Development of a Digi-Physical Healthcare Model: Perspectives and Workforce Implications
- A/Prof. Kristofer Vernmark Linköping University [SE] 57:12
Lessons from a Multinational Partnership for a Suicide Prevention mHealth Application: the Hope App
- Jessica Kemp Centre for Addiction and Mental Health [CA] 1:07:40
Advancing Mental Health Equity: A Culturally Informed Approach for Minority Communities
- Dr. Manasi Murthy University of Melbourne [AU] 1:17:16

Session 5.1 - Invited Speakers

Session Chair: Maureen Abbott (Mental Health Commission of Canada)

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From Smart Hospitals to Smart Minds: Digital Mental Health Initiatives in Taiwan
- Dr. Yuan-Hwa Chou (Taichung Veterans General Hospital [CN]) 01:13
An Innovative Approach to Insomnia: Digital Therapeutics with Chinese Characteristics
- Prof. Liao Zhang (Wenzhou Medical University [CN]) 10:32
Application of a Digital Mental Health Clinic in Secondary Schools: Functionality and Effectiveness Evaluation
- CO-PRESENTERS Dr. Deborah Wang (The Affiliated Kangning Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University) & Yi Xu (Zhejiang Jerinte Health Technology Co., Ltd [CN]) 20:22
Advancing Technology in Schizophrenia Treatment: Avatar-Therapy in Virtual Reality
- Sara Leander Pehrson (HEKA VR [DK]) 29:33
The Role of e-Mental Health in the Emerging Brain Economy
- Kana Enomoto (McKinsey Health Institute [US]) 39:12
The Women’s Brain and Mental State
- CO-PRESENTERS Bob Gold & Deena Cohen (GoMo Health [US]) 52:36
Q&A 1:08:30

Session 5.2 - Invited Speakers

Session Chair: Lori Singh (Calian)

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PANEL The Balancing Act: Navigating the benefits and risks of digital mental health in policy and practice
- Prof. Bridianne O’Dea (Flinders University [AU]) 00:00
- Taimi Allan (Government of South Australia [AU])
- Dr. María Silvina Sosa (RECAINSA [AR])
- Dr Gareth Hopkin (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence [GB])
Setting the Standard: Trust, Safety, and Credibility in Digital Mental Healthcare
- Dr. Chris Mosunic (Calm [CA]) 25:05
Bridging the Chasm: Technology’s role in effective and timely mental healthcare
- Carol Mason (RAPIDS Health [CA]) 39:37
Virtual Training: Psychological First Aid
- CO-PRESENTERS Charlotte Hveem & Sophie Mårtensson (Sahlgrenska University Hospital [SE]) 49:36
A Window Into an Altered State of Consciousness: How Biometrics Optimize Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy
- Alex Ni (Divergence Neuro [CA]) 1:02:46
Q&A 1:14:21

Session 5.3 - Adolescent and Youth in Digital Mental Health

Session Chair: Natalie von Teichman (miindfully™)

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Nurturing Strong Beginnings: Evaluating A Distance Skill-Based Mental Health and Parenting Support Program for the Perinatal–2-year Period
- CO-PRESENTERS Dr. Patricia Lingley-Pottie (Strongest Families Institute [CA]) & Pauline Penney (Government of Newfoundland and Labrador [CA]) 00:50
Using Youth Engaged Participatory Research to Improve the Equitable Assessment of Mental Health
- Dr. Azaadeh Goharzad (Child Mind Institute [CA]) 17:45
Applying An AI-Powered Mental Health Literacy Intervention to Enhance Adolescent Mental Health
- A/Prof. Yifeng Wei (University of Alberta [CA]) 28:00
A Youth Perspective on Peer Support Beyond the Script: Designing Digital Care that Connects
- Gabriela Caceres Williams (University of Calgary [CA]) 41:20
How Digital Interventions Can Better Serve Post–Secondary Students
- CO-PRESENTERS Joseph Saliba & Dr. Pedro Velmovitsky (Centre for Digital Therapeutics, UHN [CA]) 50:37
Bridging the Gap: Innovating Youth Mental Health Care through AI and Teletherapy
- Hafeezah Muhammad (Backpack Healthcare [US]) 1:01:29
Charting the Future of Youth Wellness: Developing Canada’s First National Service Navigation Tool
- CO-PRESENTERS Alisa Simon & Dr. Lydia Sequeira (Kids Help Phone [CA]) 1:13:42

Session 5.4 - Early Intervention and Prevention Strategies

Session Chair: Clint Moore (Owl Practice)

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Shifting Left to Prevention: Why Employers Are Critical to the Future of Mental Health and Wellbeing
- Heather Cook (Wellmind [CA]) 00:43
211 as a Digital Front Door to Mental Health Services
- Annette Huizinga (211 Ontario Services [CA]) 10:51
From Screen Time Crisis to Family Wellness Movement: Here’s How We Fix It
- Bobby Alexis (Mindful Media Foundation [US]) 20:56
PeerOnCall: Studying App-based Peer Support in First Responder Organizations
- Prof. Sandra Moll (McMaster University [CA]) 32:01
Feasibility and Effectiveness of an E-mental Health Program: Cognitive Behaviour Therapy with Mindfulness (CBTm)
- Dr. Shay-Lee Bolton (University of Manitoba [CA]) 42:56
Unpacking the Missed Opportunity in Childhood Mental Health
- Monique Jackson (Nous Group [AU]) 51:53
Making a Difference: Leader Wellness in a Hybrid World
- Tracy Gagnon (Government of Canada [CA]) 58:39
Scaling Self-Directed Mental Well-being Through Digital Platforms in Singapore
- Alice Ong (Health Promotion Board [SG]) 1:11:46
Q&A 1:22:45

Session 5.5 - Equitable Access and Digital Inclusion

Session Chair: Saretta Herman (Layla Care)

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ATIPAN: From Telehealth to Digital Mental Health in Indigenous Communities
- A/Prof. Romulo de Castro (Center for Informatics, University of San Agustin [PH]) 1:27
From Phone Lines to Digital Dignity: Scalable Mental Health Intake for Underserved Populations
- Daniel Penn (Tickit Health [CA]) 14:53
Mental Health Access Without Borders: Aquí Estoy Chat is Live
- Rupesh Shah (Crisis Text Line [CA]) 24:05
Add a Little Bright to Your Day: Messages of Hope as an E-Mental Health Initiative
- CO-PRESENTERS Niki Legge (Government of NL, Mental Health and Addictions Division [CA]) & Sarah White (Lifewise [CA]) 34:15
Digital Mental Health – Creation to Regulatory Compliance
- CO-PRESENTERS Holly Coole (Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency [GB]) & Dr. Gareth Hopkin (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence [GB]) 44:04
MHRA PANEL Evolving Pathways to Evaluate Mental Health AI: From Benchmarking to Broader Validation
- Dr. John Torous (Harvard Medical School [US]) 1:02:31
MHRA PANEL Closing the Digital Divide: Equity-Centred Approaches to Regulating and Evaluating Digital Mental Health Technologies
- Dr. Janagan Alagarajah (StrongMinds, NHS and Audere [GB]) 1:13:48
MHRA PANEL Real World Implementation of Digital Mental Health Technologies in the NHS
- Dr. James Woollard (Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust [GB]) 1:24:06
Q&A 1:30:09

Session 5.6 - Measuring Impact and Outcomes

Session Chair: Amos Adler (A4i)

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SANE Guided Service: Insights from Australia’s First National, Digital Psychosocial Support Service for People with Complex Mental Illness
- CO-PRESENTERS Prof. Nicola Reavley (University Of Melbourne [AU]) & Rachel Green (SANE [AU]) 0:07
Measuring integration: The foundation of a high performing mental health system
- Ray Messom (Nous Group [CA]) 22:38
Empowering patients to tell their medical history using an adaptive knowledge based digital intake solution
- Kirsten Lewis (FirstHX [CA]) 33:20
Data-Driven Healthcare
- Chris May (Mayden (GB)) 44:30
Leveraging Digital Tools to Measure and Advance Psychological Health and Safety in Workplaces
- Tiana Field-Ridley (Opening Minds, Mental Health Commission of Canada [CA]) 55:13
Climate Change, Mental Health, and the Role of Digital Interventions in Canada’s Crisis Response
- Prof. Vincent Agyapong (Dalhousie University [CA]) 1:05:00
Mental Health on the International Stage: Policy and Programs Making a Difference
- Prof. Judy Kuriansky (International Association of Applied Psychology [US]) 1:14:22

Session 5.8 - Virtual Stream

Essential Coaching Postpartum: A postpartum text-message digital health solution for parents
- Dr. Justine Dol IWK Health [CA] 0:00
Empowering Educators to Support Student Wellbeing Through Digital Microlearnings:
- Drew Bowman University of Calgary [CA] 10:00
Bridging prevention and intervention through Success4Life Youth Empowerment
- CO-PRESENTERS Dr. Sajita Setia Transforming Life LLC [NZ] & Paul Gilbert Transforming Life [USA] 21:25
The Role of Telemedicine in Equitable Access and Digital Inclusion in Global Mental Health
- Dr. Mohd Abrar Guroo TeleMANAS [IN] 31:22
To Mask or Not to Mask – Perspectives from Lived Experiences with cPTSD and a Neuro-atypical brain
- Donna DoRego Vital, 178 [CA] 41:20
Tech-enabled Wellness: Shaping Digital Lifestyles for Wellness:
- Craig DeLarge WiseWorking Leadership [US] 51:19
Adolescent depression and social media use: What evidence exists to restrict social media?:
- Dr. William Mude Flinders University [AU] 1:01:16
Confidence as a Catalyst: Inclusive Digital Mental Health for All
- Sheena Yap Chan The Tao of Self-Confidence [CA] 1:10:09
Talk to Me Like a Human: The Future of AI Conversations has Arrived
- Christopher Rhyss Edwards Queensland University of Technology [AU] 1:20:13

Session 6.1 - Afternoon Plenary

Session Chair: Taimi Allan (Master of Ceremonies)

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KEYNOTE Equitable and Ethical Digital Mental Health: Clinical Safety Through AI, Human Support, and Workforce Training
- Smriti Joshi (Wysa [IN]) 2:45
PANEL How to integrate AI into task-sharing programs – An open-access guide
- FACILITATOR: Taimi Allan 26:13
- PANELLISTS:
  - Kana Enomoto (McKinsey Health Institute [US])
  - Dr. Megan Jones Bell (Google [US])
  - Dr. Nicole Bardikoff (Grand Challenges Canada [CA])

eMHIC Global Leadership Awards

About the Global Awards

The eMHIC Global Awards Dinner is a highlight of the annual eMHIC Congress. It honors initiatives shaping the future of digital mental health and the exceptional individuals, organizations, and teams behind them.

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Awards Categories:

Country Leadership Excellence Awards – Presented to government leaders and departments who have led transformative change in their national or regional digital mental health systems. These awards highlight the power of policy, innovation, and leadership in creating a sustainable impact.
Lifetime Achievement Awards – honor visionary leaders whose lifetime contributions have shaped the digital mental health landscape and left an enduring legacy. Their influence spans research, implementation, policy, and advocacy.
Global Impact Awards
- Global Peak Body Recognizes global organizations that lead with purpose and elevate digital mental health on the world stage.
- AI Innovation in Digital Mental Health (Sponsored by Core Solutions) Celebrates the pioneering use of artificial intelligence to improve mental health outcomes through ethical, inclusive, and evidence-based innovation.

Winners are inducted into the eMHIC Hall of Fame

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