2026 Mental Health Awareness Month (MHAM) Campaign, Presentation #1 – “More Than an Answer” by Dr. Fernando Alessandri

2026 Mental Health Awareness Month (MHAM) Campaign #HumansOverAlgorithms

We chose this year’s campaign based on the published stats from NIH (Nov 2025). Humans need connection, empathy and emotional understanding. We want to bring awareness of how AI is impacting our communities and the human need for connection and empathy.

Usage by Age Group

• Adolescents & Young Adults (12–25): Approx. 13.1% use generative AI for mental health advice, with 65.5% of those users seeking advice monthly or more often. Young adults (18-21) have higher adoption rates (22.2%). Daily, 31% of teens aged 15-17 and 24% of 13-14 year olds use AI chatbots.
• Adults (18+): Over 50% of U.S. adults use AI to manage stress, anxiety, or other mental health needs.
• Older Adults (50+): Only 8% of adults aged 60 and older use AI for mental health. Roughly 50% of those 50+ are not confident in their ability to identify incorrect AI information, particularly those with poor physical health.

Digital systems are optimized for engagement, not for care.

#HumansOverAlgorithms 

Join us for the upcoming five presentations by our esteemed Alumni and Faculty members. All presentations are open to the public and free to register.

Presentation #1: April 23rd, 6:30pm EST, Dr. Fernando Alessandri, DMU MS-Clin 2011 Alumnus

Join us for an exclusive presentation by Dr. Fernando Alessandri, DMU MS-Clin 2011 Alumnus, who will present on “More Than an Answer”

The core idea behind the presentation is that therapy is not about quick solutions—it is about exploration, reflection, and relationship.

About Dr. Alessandri

Dr. Fernando Alessandri earned his M.S. in Clinical Psychology from Divine Mercy University in 2011 and went on to earn a Ph.D. at the University of Mississippi in 2016. His training included a practicum, internship, and postdoc at Veterans Administration Medical Centers in Honolulu and San Diego.

His interests and passions led him to work in very varied settings including with Veterans, couples, employees of Fortune 100 companies, a low-income community clinic, and inmates at a NY forensic hospital and most recently at a maximum security prison in Los Angeles County.

Prior to pursuing psychology, Fernando worked in advertising as a copywriter in the 1990s and then earned a Master of Fine Arts in Film & Television Production from the University of Southern California (2002). He worked on TV movies in that industry until 2008.