The Intersection of Social Work and AI

Shaping the Future of Pediatric Mental Health

Bibliographic Data

ID21619732
AuthorsMichelle M Pliske (0000-0003-4684-5204, Pacific University, Forest Grove, OR, USA, corresponding author)
Year2026
Publication date2026-06-16
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueFamilies in Society The Journal of Contemporary Social Services (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1044-3894 • E-ISSN: 1945-1350
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/10443894261448395
OpenAlexW7165008468
LanguageEN
References cited26

Families face significant barriers to pediatric mental health care due to marginalization and disparities. AI chatbots offer a promising, accessible solution, particularly for underserved areas. However, AI must be integrated as a complementary tool to enhance, not replace, human clinical interaction. AI can mitigate barriers related to social determinants of health, but its adoption requires ethical scrutiny regarding data security, transparency, and biases in training data. Social workers are essential, bringing expertise in program evaluation and clinical service delivery to ensure equitable and culturally responsive implementations. This article proposes an integrated practice-oriented model that positions AI as an associated, provider-driven tool rather than a human replacement. Social workers must take a pivotal role in shaping policies that promote justice, relationality, and systemic change within AI-augmented environments

Human services · Mental health · Scrutiny · Service delivery framework · Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare and Education · Digital Mental Health Interventions · Mental Health and Patient Involvement · Social Work

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