Using Artificial Intelligence to Support Mental Health

Live Online Post-Master’s Certificate Program

Are you an innovative practitioner curious about Artificial Intelligence, and how it can be ethically applied to help those you serve?

This online certificate program will teach you to use AI tools to improve clients’ mental health outcomes. You’ll gain a comprehensive understanding of AI principles and terminology, as well as the ways AI can be used to assess and address mental health challenges. You’ll also grasp AI’s capabilities and limitations in a social work context, including ethical considerations. The program will enhance your ability to use AI technologies effectively and responsibly to support vulnerable populations. As the field is rapidly advancing, we will focus on applying existing tools as well as knowing how to stay on top of new developments.

Understanding AI Foundations for Social Work in Mental Health

• Learning key AI concepts, terminology, and methods applicable to mental health
• Developing a clear perspective on AI's capabilities and potential challenges in a social work context

Applying AI for Early Assessment and Intervention in Social Work Practice

• Becoming familiar with a range of AI strategies to screen for and assess mental health problems, inform care decisions, and deliver treatments
• Gaining hands-on experience with AI tools 
• Collaborating with clients, families, and broader care systems on selecting and understanding AI-based strategies

Ethical and Culturally Responsive AI Use in Mental Health Social Work

• Upholding core social work values and ethical responsibilities when using AI with vulnerable populations
• Ensuring ethical AI use upholds client well-being, privacy, and equity, as well as personal and cultural preferences
• Gaining AI literacy to continue to learn about, critically appraise, and effectively apply new developments

This certificate requires the completion of 10 two-hour online sessions (20 hours in total) over one semester. Assignments include weekly readings and a final learning assessment in the form of a written assignment.

The program meets online synchronously on Tuesdays from 6:00–7:15 pm ET and for 45 minutes asynchronously each course date, except for the final class on May 12, which will meet synchronously from 6:00–8:00 pm ET.

Spring 2026

• January 20
• February 3, 17
• March 3, 17, 31
• April 14, 28
• May 5, 12

Marina A. Badillo-Diaz, DSW, LCSW

Dr. Badillo-Diaz is an experienced former school administrator and counseling director with a demonstrated history of working in community mental health and in education as a social worker. She is the founder of MABD Consulting, where she conducts training for educators and social workers to ethically and responsibly integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into their practice. Dr. Badillo-Diaz is also an adjunct professor, teaching at New York University, Columbia University, Hunter College, and Louisiana State University. She is the author of "The AI Social Worker", a widely recognized blog that serves as a 21st-century skills and AI guide for social workers. Her teaching portfolio includes courses for NYU’s Silver School of Social Work postgraduate certificate programs, specifically focusing on school social work practice, data and technology, and AI in mental health. She currently serves on the NASW-NY State Chapter Board as secretary and is a former northeastern rep board member of the School Social Work Association of America. She has presented nationally and internationally on AI and social work practice, including engagements with the National School Social Work Association of America, the Canadian Association for Social Work, and the School Social Work Association of America, and has conducted trainings for over 4,000 social workers across the United States and Canada. Dr. Badillo-Diaz’s areas of expertise include 21st-century skills, social-emotional learning, school social work practice, youth mental health, clinical supervision, AI applications, and data management. Her current research explores how school social workers are integrating AI into their daily practice.

20 NYSED and ASWB/ACE Continuing Education Contact Hours will be awarded for this program.

NYU Silver School of Social Work, (1415), is approved to offer social work continuing education social work by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) Program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 11/11/25 - 11/11/28. Social workers completing this course receive three (3) general education credits.

The application for Spring 2026 is now closed. Please check back for Fall 2026 application information.

The cost of this certificate program is $1,200, which includes registration and application fees and the cost of an online compendium of readings.

Available discounts include:

• 25% discount for NYU Silver School of Social Work MSW/DSW/PhD alumni
• 25% discount for practicum instructors currently working with NYU Silver School of Social Work graduate students
• 15% discount for applicants who have already completed one NYU Silver certificate program
• 50% discount for Veterans

Please note: discounts may not be combined.

Deposit: Upon acceptance into the program, a $250 non-refundable deposit is required to secure your place. This deposit is applied to the total cost of tuition.

Refund Policy for Early Withdrawal
The $250.00 program deposit is non-refundable. Students who withdraw before the first class will be refunded 100% of their fees (minus the deposit). Students who withdraw after up to and including two (2) sessions will be refunded 70% of their fees (minus the deposit). Students who withdraw after up to and including four (4) sessions will be refunded 55% of their fees (minus the deposit). Students who withdraw after four (4) sessions will receive no refund.

NYU Silver School of Social Work
Office of Global and Lifelong Learning
285 Mercer Street, 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10003

Email: silver.continuingeducation@nyu.edu
Phone: 212.998.5973
Fax: 212.995.4497