In the dynamic world of behavioral health, Lyssn.io brings a game-changing, scientifically vetted artificial intelligence platform to the measurement and improvement of quality care in human services, behavioral health, wellness, and crisis response. Lyssn embodies a unique amalgamation of real-world data, clinical insight, and cutting-edge technology at scale. Unique among such tools, Lyssn’s AI stands out for its clinically validated proficiency in enhancing adherence to gold standard evidence-based practices across commonly used modalities including Motivational Interviewing, Multicultural Orientation, Suicide Risk Assessment, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
FOUNDATIONAL EXCELLENCE: THE TRIO BEHIND LYSSN.IO
Lyssn builds on a tapestry of academic research, technological innovation, and clinical expertise, all in service of a vision to create a cost-effective, AI-powered assessment platform that any practitioner, provider organization or human service agency could use to seamlessly assess every counseling-based interaction to improve the quality of their services. Over 15 years ago, Lyssn’s founders envisioned a future with high-quality alternatives to the costly, largely manual legacy approaches used to measure quality, particularly given the exploding demand for behavioral health services and casework across the private and public sectors.
CEO Dave Atkins, PhD, Chief Science Officer Zac Imel, PhD, and Chief Technology Officer Mike Tanana, PhD, three of Lyssn’s cofounders, bring a unique combination of expertise in psychological interventions, data analysis, machine learning, child welfare systems, and software that drive Lyssn’s ongoing development. As clinician-scientists, they combine their collective skills with a shared commitment to transparency and clinical validation, a commitment evidenced in over 60 peer-reviewed papers on the Lyssn proprietary technology and its applications.
HAILEY: AN EARLY BEACON OF AI-DRIVEN EQUITY
While exploring the promise of leveraging AI and machine learning to measure empathy and quality assurance at scale, Lyssn’s founders studied prototype technologies such as HAILEY, an early AI-powered bot recently highlighted in a Wall Street Journal article featuring an interview with Dr. Atkins. Designed to assist therapists in refining their responses to be more empathetic, HAILEY demonstrated an ability to increase empathetic responses by 19.6% during trials on the TalkLife platform. This showcased the transformative impact of AI in augmenting human empathy across multiple applications. Dr. Atkins was a co-author on this study along with former University of Washington colleagues. The entire Lyssn team constantly iterates to ensure the platform is at the forefront of innovation.
WIDE-REACHING IMPACT AND DIVERSE CLIENTELE
Lyssn.io’s platform caters to a broad spectrum of healthcare and human welfare work streams. Its clientele currently includes state and county child welfare agencies, wellness companies, community mental health centers, 988 crisis line operators, academic medical centers, and universities. The platform’s adaptability to various settings and demographics, and its multilingual capabilities, reflect its comprehensive approach to improve quality, and enable practitioners to align their modalities to gold standard best practices backed by decades of clinical research.
STRATEGIC COLLABORATIONS AND EXPANSION
Unique and innovative partnerships lie at the heart of Lyssn’s strategic growth priorities. Its collaboration with Centerstone (one of the largest nonprofit behavioral health providers in the U.S.) is part of an expansion of the Lyssn platform to enable on-demand, skill-based training for behavioral health clinicians and includes co-designed customized applications and joint marketing, while the partnership with Ontrak Health aims to improve telehealth coaching outcomes for thousands of clients. These collaborations along with numerous NIH-funded grants with leading universities and telehealth providers underscore Lyssn’s adaptability and effectiveness in diverse settings.
ADVANCING CRISIS MANAGEMENT AND SUICIDE RISK ASSESSMENT
Building on a platform of NIH-funded research, Lyssn continues to expand its reach, this year entering the critical field of crisis intervention services and suicide risk assessment, particularly with the 988 Lifeline. Working with ProtoCall Services, a Portland, Oregon provider of 988 and other crisis response, Lyssn secured a federal grant to adapt the Lyssn technology to quickly and effectively analyze and report on the proper use of suicide risk assessment and crisis planning during crisis calls or text chats. With that effort’s initial success, Lyssn is now expanding services in the suicide prevention field to regions across the country.
UPHOLDING SECURITY AND ETHICAL STANDARDS
Lyssn.io maintains a steadfast commitment to security and ethical compliance, adhering to HIPAA, FERPA, and GDPR standards. This dedication ensures the sensitive nature of therapeutic interactions is respected, supporting the essential elements of privacy and trust in patient care. Further, Lyssn’s commitment to transparency extends to its efforts to root out the potential bias that can be inherent in any AI platform: Lyssn’s data set includes information from populations that are diverse across age, ethnicity, gender, and region of the country, and in 2023 the company published its first Bias report. Lyssn’s principals and clinicians are frequent speakers on these topics at respected industry conferences and symposiums.
Lyssn.io exemplifies a breakthrough in behavioral health. The platform not only showcases technological innovation but also a deep integration of empathy and clinical acumen, heralding a new future for behavioral health and human welfare services.
