Therapy or psychotherapy services
Services to diagnose, treat, or address mental health through therapeutic communication.
How the laws define this
Both frameworks agree that these services consist of clinical efforts designed to diagnose, treat, and address or improve an individual's mental or behavioral health. The key distinction lies in how each legal instrument specifies the boundaries and mechanisms of these services. Under An Act to Regulate the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Providing Certain Mental Health Services, coverage centers on therapeutic communication, explicitly encompassing verbal, nonverbal, or written interactions delivered in a clinical setting. Conversely, the Wellness and Oversight for Psychological Resources Act defines the concept around regulated clinical interventions generally, but creates explicit boundary lines by excluding non-clinical support such as religious counseling and peer support. Anyone assessing compliance across these frameworks must account for whether a service is categorized by its interactive communication methods in a clinical environment or by its distinction from excluded non-clinical practices.
Synthesised from the 2 statutory definitions below. Each one is quoted in full, with its source.
Definitions (2)
Services provided to diagnose, treat, or address an individual's mental health or behavioral health through therapeutic communication, encompassing verbal, nonverbal, or written interactions in a clinical setting.
Encompasses clinical services designed to diagnose, treat, or improve mental or behavioral health. It explicitly excludes religious counseling and peer support, focusing instead on regulated clinical interventions.