A new artificial intelligence platform designed to support youth mental health is set to launch this summer, as a team of faculty, researchers, and graduate students from the University of Pennsylvania collaborate on the initiative. The platform, known as Digital Healing, combines AI and creative arts to provide a therapeutic digital space for young people to engage in art-making and communication.
The interdisciplinary project brings together experts from the School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2), the School of Nursing, and the School of Engineering and Applied Science. It aims to serve youth in Philadelphia, with plans to expand to other cities, including New York. The initiative is backed by a Penn4C grant, a community-led partnership program between the School of Nursing and the School of Engineering and Applied Science.
Combating the Youth Mental Health Epidemic
Digital Healing seeks to address the escalating mental health crisis among young people, which has become a pressing global issue. SP2 professor and principal investigator, Siva Mathiyazhagan, described mental health struggles as a “public health crisis,” noting that they are the leading cause of suicide among youth worldwide. Mathiyazhagan explained that the platform’s creation was in response to the growing need for innovative solutions to youth mental health challenges, especially in the digital era.
In a conversation with Penn Today, Seul Ki Choi, a professor from the School of Nursing and co-principal investigator for Digital Healing, emphasized the potential of digital health interventions. She pointed out that digital platforms have been particularly effective in improving mental health among younger generations. “Our project uses digital spaces—proven to be effective in supporting health and building community—as a safe and healing platform for improving mental health among BIPOC youth in the Philadelphia region,” Choi added.
A Culturally Responsive Approach
One of the platform’s key features is its cultural sensitivity and responsiveness. The Digital Healing team intentionally designed the platform to be more inclusive and attuned to the communities it serves, particularly those in the Philadelphia area. Mathiyazhagan explained that the project aims to foster creative collaboration both in the real world and within digital spaces, ensuring that users can engage in meaningful art creation with their peers.
“The goal is to create a more culturally responsive way of creating,” Mathiyazhagan said. “We want to do real artwork in real-world situations while also collaborating with others in a digital environment.”
Personalized AI-Driven Artistic Expression
The platform’s innovative use of AI enables it to offer personalized artistic suggestions based on users’ mental health check-ins. Co-director of Creative Resilient Youth (CRY) and Digital Healing principal investigator Avani Alvarez described the process: after completing an initial mental health check-in, users receive AI-generated prompts tailored to their emotional state. These suggestions are designed to help users express themselves creatively, whether they’re feeling low or seeking to process difficult emotions through art.
“The AI takes that initial check-in and provides prompts based on how you’re feeling that day,” Alvarez explained. “If you’re feeling really low, it might suggest a prompt that helps you either cope with those feelings or digest them through art.”
Fostering Mental Resilience and Peer Connection
For Eileen Feng, a graduate student from Wharton and the School of Engineering, the project represents a unique opportunity to use AI not just as a tool for artistic creation but as a means to promote mental resilience. Feng highlighted the platform’s ability to reduce the mental blocks often experienced during the creative process, emphasizing the importance of focusing on the creative journey rather than the outcome. “The goal is to build a community that values the process of creativity and fosters mental resilience and peer connections,” Feng said.
Transparency and Community Engagement
A significant priority for the team has been maintaining open communication with the youth and community partners involved in the project. Mathiyazhagan explained that continuous feedback and engagement with participants have been crucial in ensuring the platform remains relevant and responsive to their needs.
“We’ve made it a point to communicate consistently with the youth members we’re working with,” Mathiyazhagan said. “By being accountable to the community, we can ensure that the project truly serves their needs.”
Launch and Future Expansion
The Digital Healing platform is slated for launch this summer, with the final stages of development underway. In addition to the Philadelphia rollout, the team plans to introduce the platform to other cities in the near future. Through this project, the Digital Healing team hopes to create a powerful tool for improving mental health and fostering creative expression among young people in underserved communities.
