Behavioral Health Artificial Intelligence Council (BH-AI Council)

Year-1 Objectives

• Publish provider guidance for clinical and operational AI use.
• Create an AI Ethics & Compliance Addendum aligned to NBHAP ethics and legal duties.
• Drive policy advocacy on federal/state AI rules affecting providers.
• Run education + CE: webinars, toolkits, adoption playbooks.
• Protect equity: bias mitigation standards for SUD/MH populations.

Deliverables

• Annual “State of AI in Behavioral Health” brief
• NBHAP AI Ethics & Compliance Addendum
• Provider AI Implementation Playbook
• Quarterly policy alerts/recommendations to NBHAP Advocacy
• Minimum 4 CE-eligible trainings

NBHAP Behavioral Health Artificial Intelligence Council (BH-AI Council)

A Council in name that functions as a national coalition and serves as NBHAP’s AI product approval and guidance authority.

Core Responsibility

To review, approve, and continuously monitor AI products intended for behavioral health and addiction treatment use, and to publish NBHAP guidance that helps providers adopt approved tools safely and effectively.

Important Positioning Line

BH-AI Council approvals are an NBHAP self-regulatory, provider-focused quality and compliance review. They do not replace federal or state regulatory requirements.

Approval Tiers (simple + defensible)

1. NBHAP AI Council – Reviewed (Baseline)
• Product meets minimum privacy, security, transparency, and behavioral-health appropriateness standards.
2. NBHAP AI Council – Approved for Use (Clinical/Operational)
• Product demonstrates evidence of benefit, safe workflows, and provider-ready implementation in behavioral health/SUD settings.
3. NBHAP AI Council – Center of Excellence Partner (Top tier)
• Strong real-world outcomes + robust auditing + exemplary equity and compliance performance

Fees & Participation

• AI Approved Product Registry: $500 annually per approved product.
  This fee supports publication, annual re-review administration, and post-market monitoring.
  Payment is collected only after approval and does not affect review outcomes.
• Associate Member Directory: $5,000 annually.
  Associate Membership provides visibility as an NBHAP industry supporter.
  It is distinct from AI product approval and does not imply Council endorsement.

Independence Statement

BH-AI Council approvals are issued through an independent, criteria-based review process.
Approval status is not influenced by membership, directory participation, sponsorship, or fees.

• Review independence: review is blind to payment status until after final vote.
• No approval guarantee: fees are for listing/maintenance only.
• COI rules: vendors cannot vote; Council members recuse for conflicts.
• Scope-limited approvals: each listing states what it is and isn’t approved for.

Products are reviewed on clinical safety, privacy/Part-2 compliance, transparency, and equity standards.
Approval decisions are independent of NBHAP membership status or directory participation.

Workflow with fee checkpoints

• Application Intake (no listing fee)
• Council Review + Vote (approval based solely on criteria)
• If approved → vendor opts into Registry
• Pays $500 annual fee → listing goes live
• Annual re-review required for renewal

Associate Member Directory stays on its own track:

• Vendors can purchase Associate Membership at any time, with or without AI approval.

Products are reviewed on clinical safety, privacy/Part-2 compliance, transparency, and equity standards.
Approval decisions are independent of NBHAP membership status or directory participation.

The $500 annual registry fee is a maintenance and monitoring fee paid only after approval.
Payment does not influence review outcomes and does not guarantee approval or continued approval.

Resources

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration's Digital health Center of Excellence has announced a diigtal health devices pilot.