- Group 7 Healthcare -

A GenAI Model to effectively address mental health among children

TEAM:
1. Sai Krishna Adabala
2. Victoria Friedhoff
3. Gabriela Hernandes Guerreiro
4. Siva Ram Reddy Kathi
5. Sriya Meghana Nandam
6. Gowrishankar Sundararajan

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Introduction .......................................................................................................................................2
1. Current scenario .............................................................................................................................4
1.1 Mental Health condition in public schools in Texas ......................................................................6
1.2 Current solutions offered at public schools in Texas .....................................................................7
1.3 Gaps and ineffectiveness in current offerings ..............................................................................7
2. Solution..........................................................................................................................................7
2.1. Introducing BOLT ......................................................................................................................9
2.2. A new mental health platform .................................................................................................11
2.3.Potential extensions (To be further explored): As wearable become more ..................................12
2.4. High-level business model and partners ...................................................................................10
2.5. Similar solutions in market ......................................................................................................13
3. Value Proposition:.........................................................................................................................14
References ................................................................................................................................. 17

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Introduction

The prevalence of mental health issues among students, ranging from anxiety and depression to attention

disorders, presents a significant challenge to academic performance and overall well-being.6 Public schools

are pivotal in addressing these challenges through proactive measures like early intervention and

prevention efforts. By identifying and addressing mental health concerns at their onset, schools can

establish crucial support systems that foster a positive environment conducive to emotional growth and

empathy among students.

In Texas, the need for effective mental health support in schools is sensitive following the tragic school

shooting in Uvalde in May 2022 that killed 19 children and 2 teachers4. While Texas has several initiatives

to improve student mental healthcare, significant gaps remain in providing accessible and personalized

support22 .

FIGURE 1: Number of annual school shootings across the country 3

Our solution: BOLT, an AI-powered solution, offers engaging conversations and predictive analytics to

identify at-risk students early, fostering a safe space for sharing concerns. Implementing BOLT promises

immense value, enhancing student support, improving outcomes, which could lead to position Texas as a

frontrunner in AI for social good, and providing technology partners with a market opportunity for

innovative solutions with substantial social impact.

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 1. Current scenario
Mental health is a particularly important part of children’s development and overall well-being. It includes

children’s state of mind and emotional and behavioral well-being. This can have a significant impact on a

child’s learning development, social interactions, and ability to handle emotions and behavior in general.6

The number of children facing mental health issues is steadily increasing in the US. The numbers have seen

a sharp spike after the COVID-19 pandemic. Numerous studies indicate 1 in 5 children have one or more

mental health conditions 7, 8. While the survey numbers reveal the number of children identified by schools

or parents for having one or more conditions of mental health issues, various experts suggest that several

children do not seek assistance because of stigma (public and self) and lack of proper understanding.

The most common issues associated with mental health are attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD),

anxiety, behavior problems and depression. A recent survey by the CDC highlighted the problem of being

big among high school students.

Figure 2: Depression, anxiety, and behavior disorders by age 9

Among high school students, there are various symptoms reflecting poor mental condition and this issue is

growing rapidly.

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 Figure 3: Youth Risk Behavior Survey 10

Outside the home, schools are the most common place where mental health issues are noticed. In a study

by the School Pulse Panel in April 2022, approximately 69% of public schools have noted an increase in the

number of students seeking mental health services since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic 11. The

demand for mental health support is on the rise, yet public schools often lack sufficient resources to

effectively address this growing need. The survey also revealed that just 13% of schools believed they could

adequately deliver mental health services to every student requiring assistance 11.

This project focusses only on Texas. While the problem becomes increasingly dramatic across the country,

the project in its first phase will aim at analyzing the issue in the state of Texas and providing a practical and

cost-effective solution. In subsequent phases, the project can be expanded beyond Texas to other states

across the country and beyond children in public schools to other educational institutions and corporate

entities.

1.1 Mental Health Conditions in Public Schools in Texas

on the mental health situation in Texas showed that 45% of students said that they felt sad for longer

periods of time13.

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 1.2 Current solutions offered at public schools in Texas.
Public schools support students at various levels through psychologists, counsellors, and social workers15.

Additionally, teachers are trained to identify students who may show symptoms of mental health issues.

The Texas Education Agency provides a guide explaining to parents the level of support available for their

children14. Parents have the right to get an Individualized Education Program (IEP), that presents a report

on the child’s areas of need and a plan for which special education-related services will be beneficial to the

child. The other resources include assistive technology, counselling services, music therapy, interpreting

services, etc. 15
Parents further have the right to request cameras for video and audio recording to be

installed in a classroom with a special needs child. 16

Texas has in addition introduced two new teams – A Mental Health Taskforce and the Texas Child Mental

Healthcare Consortium (TCMHC) 17 18. The task force regularly provides a set of recommendations to state

legislators based on their assessment of the mental health situation at schools, the effectiveness of existing

resources, and the level of mental health training provided to teachers. The TCMHC, with experts from the

University of Texas, provides effective intervention programs to improve the mental health care system for

children and adolescents.

1.3 Gaps and ineffectiveness in current offerings

situation 19. The number of school shootings in the US has increased steadily over the last 11 years (except

for 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic) 3. Texas had 17 shootings, the second most school shootings of

2023, behind California 20 . After the Santa Fe school shooting in 20182, the state promised to effectively

address the mental health situation at schools. Though, the state has planned several initiatives, there is

a stark difference in reality:

• 593 school districts out of 1203 in Texas have no school psychologist on staff 22

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 • The planned telemedicine rollout by TCMHC is still slow with only 400 school districts connected 22

• The following table highlights the big gap between planned and available resources at schools.

Source: TEA, PEIMS Staff FTE Counts and Salary Reports, Accessed at https://rptsvr1.tea.texas.gov/adhocrpt /adp eb.html
Figure 4: Staffing ratios by school 22

Our team discussed the situation with a high school teacher. Sheetal Mudunuru, a high school Math

teacher from Dayton ISD says, “While the school district has funds, but at the specified salary of $65,000

- $75,000 they cannot hire any psychologists”.

2. Solution

Our solution combines GenAI and a chatbot to identify, prevent, and support children with

mental health needs throughout their journey from elementary to high school. The solution will

be delivered through the existing school infrastructure.

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 Figure 5: Solution overview

2.1. Introducing BOLT

BOLT is a friendly AI buddy available to students. Students can interact

with BOLT using their phone, laptop, or wearable. BOLT will engage

students in meaningful, relevant and supportive conversations aimed at a

friendly environment. Some of its features will include:

• Easy conversations: BOLT is available anytime to engage in a friendly

conversation. Some of the symptoms that lead to severe mental health disorders are students

isolating themselves. This could be momentary or for a long time. BOLT is a trustworthy friend

who is always ready to listen and injects positivity through conversations.

• Relevant conversations: BOLT has all the prior information of the student profile (through all

school records, past conversations, wearables, etc.) to engage in a smart as well as age-relevant

conversation i.e., different levels of conversation based on whether a student is at high school or

elementary school.

• Smart AI: As students converse more with BOLT, the AI engine picks on historical information to

build well-connected and meaningful conversations. AI-generated insights help in the early

identification of students in need of assistance. By analyzing data related to learning, mood,

behavior, and emotions, the BOLT can provide valuable information for early intervention,

ensuring timely support for mental health issues.

• Alerts: BOLT's predictive analytics engine identifies urgent emergencies in real-time. Using GenAI,

reports are sent to counsellors or psychologists for assessment and intervention. Emergency

actions are triggered for students showing dangerous patterns like suicidal tendencies. GenAI

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 enables precise analysis, ensuring personalized support for students, and enhancing their safety

and well-being.

• From passive to active: As BOLT gains intelligence through more information, it can initiate

conversation such as asking a student about some of the progress they made in addressing

previously discussed issues.

• Follow-up and Support: BOLT checks in with the student the day after they share their concern

to ensure that the issue has been addressed and to provide reassurance that they are doing well.

• Comprehensive Support: AI-Driven Solutions and Sentiment Analysis for Student Outbursts - The

chatbot has a provision to record emotional outbursts. By employing sentiment analysis

algorithms, it identifies the underlying problem and suggests personalized solutions based on

data gathered from individuals who have faced similar challenges and insights from clinicians.

The AI-generated options empower students with various strategies to navigate and manage

their emotions, drawing from real-world experiences and professional guidance provided by

therapists.

• Empathetic Assistance: The chatbot is designed to provide emotional support by incorporating

positive affirmations to calm the individual. When the user expresses distress or exhibits signs of

emotional upheaval, the chatbot responds with carefully crafted and uplifting statements. These

positive affirmations are designed to instill a sense of reassurance, promote self-esteem, and

encourage a more positive mindset.

2.2. A new mental health platform

administrators (and teachers) and psychologists (within the school and approved ones outside the

school). The platform gathers data from multiple sources including:

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 • School records (academic records, absenteeism, behavior patterns through regular teacher

observations, personal data such as food intake, health and fitness related, etc.)

• Past counselling sessions (subject to data privacy on who can access it)

• Information from BOLT

• Relevant information is captured through school cameras, wearables etc.

The platform will provide relevant and personalized information to each student. The same information

will also be available through BOLT. Any change in pattern can also trigger BOLT to engage in relevant

conversation. The platform will also intelligently analyze relevant information to reduce diagnosis time

during each session with school counsellors or psychologists.

2.3. Potential extensions

As the wearable becomes more adapted in reading signs of mental distress, it can gather real-time

information to trigger meaningful insights into a person’s mental state. This can be an essential input to

the platform and trigger relevant responses. With the expansion of 5G, the platform can handle huge

volumes of data that will be exchanged, even if every student in school has a wearable. However, the

effectiveness of the wearable in addressing mental health is still being studied.

2.4. High-level business model and partners

• Partners: The Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium (TCMHCC) is currently providing virtual

therapist support to over 400 schools across Texas 21 . AT&T can partner with TCMHCC and

leverage their existing infrastructure such as the Texas Child Health Access Through Telemedicine

(TCHATT) 23 , to offer the new mental health support platform. Utilizing wearables and other

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 devices of every student requires a stable network connection. The data further needs to be

hosted in a secure space.

• Users:

o The students are the main target group to use this solution. The solution will be made

available through schools to all students.

o The second target group are school counsellors and psychologists who provide

intervention to support any student facing a mental health issue.

o The other groups having access to the solution include parents, teachers, and school

administrators. Note: The amount of information available to each user group will be

governed by relevant privacy laws.

• Buyers: The solution will be paid by different stakeholders, including

o School districts – A fixed fee per year per student will be charged (A similar model with

‘Daybreak Health’ exists24 ). The school will also pay an additional fee per student session

with school counsellors or psychologists.

o Health insurance – For every external psychologist session, the fee will be paid through

insurance (Exact details to be discussed with TCMHCC).

o State government – Special funding can also be sought from the state government to

promote and expand the project (The 86 th state legislature has added $100 million per

year to address mental health issues)

2.5. Similar solutions in market

There are a few similar solutions, however, none of them offers the comprehensive solution and scale

proposed in this section. Some of the available products in the market include:

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 • Daybreak Health is a teletherapy service that partners with schools to provide personalized

mental health support for students. They offer various programs designed for diverse needs,

including 12 to 24-week teletherapy programs, elementary teletherapy programs, mental health

classes, and universal screeners.

• Woebot is crafted as a chatbot with a focus on delivering cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)

techniques to users. It facilitates conversations to help users recognize and challenge negative

thoughts, providing a supportive environment for emotional well-being.

• Wysa stands out as an AI-driven mental health app employing conversational agents. It extends

support through self-help tools and mood tracking, incorporating principles from CBT and

dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) in its interactive features.

• Youper blends AI technology with elements of cognitive-behavioral therapy to engage users in

meaningful conversations, track moods, and provide personalized interventions. Its primary goal

is to aid users in managing their emotional well-being.

3. Value Proposition:
Implementing a chatbot using generative AI to address mental health issues in children can provide several

benefits and create value for all stakeholders involved:

1. Children:

• Accessibility: The chatbot can provide immediate and accessible support to children, offering a

24/7 platform for addressing mental health concerns.

• High Privacy: Many children might feel more comfortable discussing their feelings with a virtual

entity, ensuring a confidential and non-judgmental space for self-expression.

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 • Immediate Support: The chatbot provides instant support, enabling children to access

information and assistance without waiting for scheduled counselling sessions. This can be

particularly beneficial during emergencies like shootings or pandemics.

• Early Intervention: The chatbot can help identify early signs of mental health issues, enabling

timely intervention and support, which is crucial for long-term well-being.

2. Schools:

• Student Well-being: By addressing mental health issues, schools can contribute to the overall well-

being of their students, which can lead to improved academic performance and reduced

absenteeism.

• Resource Optimization: The chatbot can help schools optimize counselling resources by handling

routine queries and providing initial support, allowing human counsellors to focus on more

complex cases.

• Data Insights: The system can provide schools with insights into the prevalent mental health

concerns of their students, enabling targeted and evidence-based interventions.

3. AT&T and Solution Provider:

• Market Opportunities: Addressing mental health in children can position the company as a leader,

tapping into a growing market segment and fostering long-term partnerships with educational

institutions.

• Enhanced Connectivity Services: AT&T could bundle the mental health chatbot solution with its

connectivity services, offering a comprehensive package to schools. This bundling strategy can

increase the overall value proposition and potentially attract more customers.

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 • Market Positioning: Offering innovative solutions like a mental health chatbot can enhance AT&T's

market positioning and differentiate it from competitors. This differentiation can attract more

business and potentially allow for premium pricing.

• Scalability: Leveraging AT&T's established credibility in government partnerships, AT&T can scale

the business and implement the solution across all schools, driving significant revenue growth

through widespread adoption.

• Brand Image: The innovative healthcare product will position AT&T as a pioneering force in

technological advancement and social responsibility, thereby enhancing its brand image

significantly.

4. Conclusion
The increasing mental health challenges in Texas public schools underscore the need for investment and

technology innovation. Emerging technologies like AI and analytics offer great potential to enhance mental

healthcare by providing data-driven insights, enabling stakeholders to optimize resources and focus on

students with the highest needs.

The readily available and confidential virtual buddy, BOLT creates a safe space for students to share

concerns without stigma. It supports schools in their need for counselling and fulfilling legal requirements

in a cost and resource efficient solution. The current mental health crisis offers a lucrative opportunity for

bold investments and partnerships between public agencies, healthcare organizations, and tech

innovators to develop evidence-based AI tools capable of providing personalized and scalable student

mental healthcare.

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References
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2. https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/crime/article/santa-fe-shooter-trial-

delayed-again-mental-health-18634754.php

3. https://www.cnn.com/us/school-shootings-fast-facts-dg/index.html

4. https://www.foxnews.com/us/uvalde-texas-robb-elementary-school-active-shooter

5. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/pdf/YRBS_Data-Summary-

Trends_Report2023_508.pdf

6. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/mental-health-action-guide/promote-social-emotional-and-

behavioral-learning.html

7. https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2022/study-reveals-fourfold-range-in-rates-of-mental-health-problems-

among-us-children-based-on-relational-and-social-

risks#:~:text=The%20study%20appears%20online%20in,and%20behavioral%20health%20conditions

%20assessed

8. 2022 National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report [Internet]. Rockville (MD): Agency for

Healthcare Research and Quality (US); 2022 Oct. Available from:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK587182/

9. https://www.cdc.gov/childrensmentalhealth/data.html

10. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/pdf/YRBS_Data-Summary-

Trends_Report2023_508.pdf

11. https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/toa/k-12-covid-recovery?tid=300

12. https://www.navigatelifetexas.org/en/diagnosis-healthcare/finding-mental-health-resources-for-

children

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13. https://schoolmentalhealthtx.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Collaborative-Task-Force-on-Public-

School-Mental-Health-Services-Year-3-Report.pdf

14. https://tea.texas.gov/academics/special-student-populations/special-education/overview-of-special-

education-for-parents.pdf

15. https://spedsupport.tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/2024-01/technical-assistance-individualized-

education-iep-development.pdf

16. https://disabilityrightstx.org/en/handout/how-to-request-a-camera-in-your-childs-special-education-

classroom/

17. https://schoolmentalhealthtx.org/hb-906-task-force/

18. https://tcmhcc.utsystem.edu/overview/

19. https://www.texastribune.org/2023/05/15/texas-schools-mental-health/

20. https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2023/05/08/texas-has-the-second-most-mass-

shootings-in-2023-how-its-other-gun-violence-crimes-measure-up/?sh=77bf1c9554b0

21. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/texas-schools-mental-health-services-psychologists/

22. https://schoolmentalhealthtx.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Collaborative-Task-Force-on-Public-

School-Mental-Health-Services-Year-3-Report.pdf (page 29f)

23. https://tcmhcc.utsystem.edu/tchatt/

24. https://bhbusiness.com/2023/08/08/daybreak-health-raises-13m-in-campaign-to-bring-free-school-

based-mental-health-services-to-youth/

List of Figures

1. Figure 1. Number of annual school shootings across the country

2. Figure 2: Depression, anxiety, and behavior disorders by age

3. Figure 3: Youth Risk Behavior Survey

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4. Figure 4: Staffing ratios by school

5. Figure 5: Solution overview

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