Developing Co-creative AI Methods for Mental Healthcare System Innovation (CO- AI-Health)

The Dutch mental healthcare system is under increasing pressure: over 100,000 people are on waiting lists, with nearly 70% waiting longer than the national guidelines prescribe. These delays severely impact patients and society. At the same time, the potential of AI and digital technologies remains largely untapped, and the creative industry — eager to contribute to healthcare innovation — struggles to access this highly regulated, complex sector.

CO-AI-Health focuses on one of the most pressing bottlenecks in mental healthcare: the intake phase. This phase is still largely manual and places a heavy burden on clinicians. The project develops and tests two AI-enabled solutions: an interactive intake tool that captures structured diagnostic data and treatment preferences, and an automated reporting system that transforms diagnostic outcomes into clear summaries for healthcare professionals and patients alike.

What sets this project apart is the dual focus on digital innovation and the development of scalable, co-creative design methods tailored to regulated healthcare contexts. These methods build on existing frameworks (such as Specto’s CHIP framework and Ailixr’s synthetic persona system), are validated in clinical practice through the Mindshift platform, and embedded in design education via the MSc Strategic Design curriculum at TU Delft.

CO-AI-Health contributes to the Key Enabling Methodologies (KEM) agenda through new participatory and data-informed co-design methods, and to the Knowledge and Innovation Agenda for Social Earning Capacity (KIA MV) with scalable tools that address key bottlenecks in mental healthcare. The project fosters transdisciplinary collaboration and exemplifies mission-driven innovation with societal impact.

€193,851 will be used as a PPP program grant.