{
  "id": 8923583,
  "title": "Q&A: How AI can expand mental health support beyond the clinic",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/q-a-how-ai-can-expand-mental-health-support-beyond-the-clinic",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-09-21T12:40:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Medical Xpress",
    "slug": "medical-xpress",
    "url": "https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-qa-ai-mental-health-clinic.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Mental health crises often arise suddenly, and sometimes the most effective support comes from unexpected places. Associate Professor John Blosnich of the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work suggests that nonclinical settings, such as divorce attorneys' offices, bankruptcy hearings, and self-storage facilities, could be valuable venues for connecting people with mental health resources before a crisis escalates. Blosnich, interim co-director of the USC Center for AI in Society, leverages AI, large-scale public health data, and community partnerships to study suicide risk, health disparities, and the social factors that influence well-being. By identifying \"industries of disruption\" where people encounter major life changes, these nonclinical settings may offer opportunities to recognize mental health risks early and provide timely assistance.",
  "summary": "Some of the earliest opportunities to prevent a mental health crisis may come outside of a therapist's office. They may happen at a divorce attorney's desk, in a bankruptcy hearing or at a self-storage counter—anywhere people may be navigating a major life disruption.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}