Prairie State Wire

Governor JB Pritzker has signed new legislation aimed at regulating the use of artificial intelligence in mental health services across Illinois. The Wellness and Oversight for Psychological Resources Act, enacted on Friday, prohibits the use of AI for providing therapy and psychotherapy decision-making. The law does allow AI to be used for administrative and supplementary support tasks by licensed behavioral health professionals.

The measure is intended to protect patients from unregulated or unqualified AI products and to safeguard jobs held by qualified behavioral health providers in Illinois. Lawmakers also cited concerns about the impact of AI chatbots on youth mental health services as a reason for the new restrictions.

“The people of Illinois deserve quality healthcare from real, qualified professionals and not computer programs that pull information from all corners of the internet to generate responses that harm patients,” said IDFPR Secretary Mario Treto, Jr. “This legislation stands as our commitment to safeguarding the well-being of our residents by ensuring that mental health services are delivered by trained experts who prioritize patient care above all else.”

The new law comes amid broader national discussions about how technology is being integrated into healthcare settings and reflects growing concern over the role of artificial intelligence in sensitive areas such as mental health.