Summary
The New Mexico Counseling and Therapy Practice Board amended its ethics regulations to add Section 16.27.18.24 on the use of artificial intelligence in counseling and therapy practice. The rule requires licensees who use AI tools to maintain professional responsibility for clinical decisions, inform clients when AI is used in services, safeguard client confidentiality and data when interacting with AI systems, and avoid discriminatory or otherwise unethical use of AI in treatment or assessment.
Healthcare Implications
The rule establishes one of the first explicit state-level professional standards for AI use in mental health care. It sets expectations that AI systems can assist but not replace licensed clinicians, encourages transparency with clients, and emphasizes privacy and nondiscrimination, which may influence how vendors design AI tools for therapy and how clinics integrate chatbots, decision-support, and other AI features into counseling workflows.