Youth mental health and technology: Connecting leading researchers and policymakers (Webinar)

A partnership of The Council of State Governments’ Midwestern Legislative Conference and the AAAS Center for Scientific Evidence in Public Issues, this webinar will feature insights from leading researchers on a critical issue for state policymakers — the impacts of technologies such as smart phones and generative AI on the well-being of young people.

What does scientific evidence have to say about the rise in mental health challenges facing our young people, as well as whether or how these challenges correlate with the increased use of smart phones and social media? Is AI fundamentally different than other digital technologies regarding mental health? Can digital technologies help play a role in addressing the youth mental health crisis?

These questions and more will be explored in the webinar, which also will provide an overview of legislative trends and policy options.

The MLC Health & Human Services Committee and Education & Workforce committees are presenting this learning opportunity in partnership with the AAAS Center for Scientific Evidence in Public Issues. The featured presenters will include:

• Dr. Mitchell Prinstein, who has produced pioneering research on the impacts of social technology on youths. He is the John Van Seters Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of North Carolina and the senior science advisor for the American Psychological Association.
• Dr. Jessica Schleider, who is an internationally recognized leader on youth mental health. A clinical psychologist and intervention scientist, she serves as associate professor of medical social sciences at Northwestern University and is the founding director of the Lab for Scalable Mental Health.

Note: Anyone who registers for the webinar will automatically be sent a recording, plus other resources, in the event you are unable to attend.