AI Frontier Institute

An act relating to regulating the use of artificial intelligence in the provision of mental health services

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Vermont S.241 has not been enacted. It was referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare on 2026-01-13. If enacted, it would bar any person, corporation, or entity from offering, providing, or advertising mental health services in Vermont that use artificial intelligence in whole or in part, except as allowed under 26 V.S.A. § 7101 (new 18 V.S.A. § 7115, Sec. 4). A violation would count as a Consumer Protection Act violation (9 V.S.A. chapter 63). The Attorney General would have enforcement authority, private parties would have the same rights and remedies, and each violation would carry a $10,000 civil penalty. Sec. 5 would add 26 V.S.A. chapter 120. New § 7101 would let mental health professionals use AI for administrative support, such as scheduling, billing, records, analysis of deidentified data, and referrals. The professional would have to review and take responsibility for the AI's work. For AI transcription or recording, the professional would first have to give written notice and get written consent from the patient or the patient's guardian. These uses would be subject to the confidentiality rules in 18 V.S.A. §§ 1881 and 7103. Mental health professionals could not use AI to make therapeutic decisions, issue direct therapeutic communications, generate treatment plans or recommendations, or detect or interpret emotions or mental states (§ 7101(d)). Misuse of AI by a mental health professional would become unprofessional conduct under 3 V.S.A. § 129a(a)(30) (Sec. 3). Sec. 1 sets out findings about harms from therapy chatbots, and Sec. 2 states the purpose. The act would take effect on passage (Sec. 6).

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