2026 Mental Health Awareness Month (MHAM) Campaign, Presentation #4 – “Augmenting Care, Not Replacing It” by Jerome Placido

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 #4:May 21st, 7:00pm EST, Jerome Placido (DMU MSP 2020 Alumnus):

Join us for this exclusive presentation by Jerome Placido, DMU MSP 2020 Alumnus as he presents on, “Augmenting Care, Not Replacing It.”

About Jerome Placido

Jerome Placido is an engineering leader and builder working at the intersection of artificial intelligence, human behavior, and real-world systems. With over a decade of experience in software engineering and leadership, he has led teams from early-stage startups to large-scale organizations, building products that serve millions of users.

His work today focuses on designing and evaluating AI systems, particularly agent-based and generative AI applications, and understanding how these technologies shape human decision-making, productivity, and behavior. He has led the development of AI-driven tools ranging from internal productivity systems to large-scale evaluation platforms used to assess how AI systems act in complex, real-world environments.

Outside of his professional work, Jerome has contributed to a range of initiatives at the intersection of technology and the Catholic faith, including collaborations with SacredSpark, Catholic Polytechnic University, Tabella, and other mission-driven organizations. His work in these contexts has focused on designing systems that promote trust, intentionality, and authentic human connection in an increasingly digital world.

More broadly, he is interested in how technology can be developed to support, not replace, human relationships, personal formation, and long-term well-being.

As both a technologist and a person of faith, Jerome is particularly interested in the ethical and psychological implications of AI: how systems influence attention, motivation, and identity, and how we can design technology that respects the dignity of the human person.