Afea to trial AI mental health support Leora

Sydney disability and aged care support provider Afea Care Services has announced it will be trialling virtual self-care coach Leora in a bid to improve employee wellbeing.

The artificial intelligence (AI) support channel will become a virtual assistant for Afea and allow employees to receive mental health care at any time.

Head of people and culture at Afea Joseph Assad said in a statement: “People in the aged care and disability industry face tremendous psychological pressure every day.”

“Afea provides care to some of the most vulnerable members of the community, and we want to ensure our workers feel well supported too. Unfortunately, in its current state, mental health services can’t keep up with the demand. Leora offers a way to make mental healthcare instantly accessible,” said Mr Assad.

Leora’s AI technology allows for an organisation to manage a mental health assessment, provide tools to help employees cope with any issues, and help book therapy appointments if necessary.

CEO and founder of Leora, Esha Oberoi, said in a statement that wait times for mental health related assistance can take anywhere from six weeks up to six months. HR Leader notes that this issue has been discussed recently by The Age.

Leora’s software allows for a streamlined approach which aims to reduce the waiting period by providing timely care.

“AI can make up for the gaps by complementing human-led support and providing tools in between sessions to scale care. Leora can ‘speak’ and connect with users in a natural, engaging and conversational way,” said Ms Oberoi.

“We also plan to develop algorithms for Leora that can match an individual’s unique needs and preferences, like language or culture, to the right therapist and specialisation.”

Afea said in a statement that technology was a key component in employee wellbeing. The organisation was voted the third-best best place to work in the health industry by The Australian Financial Review in 2022.

Leora, while still in beta, is available now to all Afea office staff, its 700 support workers, and the immediate family of its employees.

Mr Assad added: “We’re always looking for ways to better support our people. As an organisation reliant on human services, we’re excited to see where AI-powered mental health support will take us.”

The addition of services like Leora’s in the workplace are a welcome step towards promoting the wellbeing of employees. A recent article by The Guardian criticised the government’s mental health plan, saying “it’s still too little, and it’s ending too soon.”

The Guardian article stated: “Long wait times are one problem, with many providers simply closing their books to new patients. Besides the fact that the wait itself puts people at risk – asking someone in crisis to please stay alive for six months while they wait to be seen is not healthcare – it’s an indictment on the overall quality of care.”