The mentorship program supports healthcare professionals across roles, including clinicians, researchers, administrators, and others in mental health and addiction care, in evaluating how AI projects can be responsibly applied in practice.

The program provides structured, reflective mentorship focused on professional judgment rather than technical development. It is delivered through two virtual sessions, one per cohort, for participants with defined AI project ideas. Discussions focus on identifying implementation challenges and supporting participants in clarifying their decision-making so they can assess project readiness.

Sessions combine mentor experience-sharing with structured small-group discussion. The focus is not on project workshopping, but on supporting participants in working through constraints, risks, and next steps in a practical and context-specific manner.

The program is grounded in the Patient Charter for Accountable Use of AI, using its pillars and principles to guide discussion on responsible, patient‑centered AI use. This includes consideration of trust, accountability, and the role of human oversight in AI‑enabled care.

The mentorship program is designed to enable participants to:

1. Examine AI projects or defined project ideas informed by real-world mental health and addictions care contexts and the principles of the Patient Charter on AI Rights
   Develop understanding of how care context, patient considerations, and responsible AI principles may shape project design and goals.
2. Explore practical challenges related to the responsible design, implementation, and use of AI in practice
   Reflect on barriers, uncertainties, and contextual factors that may influence project implementation, adoption, and long-term success.
3. Strengthen decision-making skills for advancing AI projects responsibly
   Build confidence through focused mentorship discussions to support the ability to evaluate key considerations and determine appropriate next steps for AI initiatives.

Applicants should have a defined AI project or project idea relevant to mental health and addictions care. This may be an early-stage concept, a project currently under development, or an active initiative. Examples include implementing or evaluating AI-enabled tools, improving clinical or operational workflows using AI, or exploring governance, research, or quality improvement initiatives involving AI.

For more information, please contact us at: Digitalcompassion@uhn.ca.