Generative AI for Personalized Care: Understanding and Transforming Substance Use and Mental Health Support for Youth

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Sasha Barab, PhD, is a Professor in the School for the Future of Innovation in Society at Arizona State University and an internationally recognized Learning Scientist. He has published over 100 manuscripts with 25,000+ citations and developed innovations that have engaged more than 200,000 users in learning and transformation. As the founder and CEO of Lifelab Studios, he is committed to helping justice-involved youth and young adults make positive life changes. Lifelab Studios' core program, Journey.do, has supported thousands of justice-involved youth by addressing criminogenic needs and fostering life skills in diverse care settings. Grounded in evidence-based practices, Journey.do features an anytime, anywhere growth platform, an AI-enhanced coaching and administrative dashboard, and a come-alongside staffing service to ensure real behavioral change. Supported by the National Science Foundation, the program uses AI to deliver hyper-personalized care from intake to outtake. Dr. Barab has analyzed tens of thousands of youth-authored stories, focusing on criminogenic needs such as antisocial attitudes, poor family and peer relations, substance abuse, trauma, and mental health challenges, giving him deep expertise in supporting youth transformation.

Dr. Adam D. Fine is a Professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Arizona State University. He earned his PhD in developmental psychology and quantitative methods from the University of California, Irvine. As a developmental psychologist, his research bridges psychology, law, public policy, and criminology, focusing on juvenile delinquency and justice. His current work explores two key areas: how youth develop perceptions of law enforcement and the justice system, with attention to developmental and racial-ethnic differences, and how justice system experiences affect youth outcomes and disparities. Dr. Fine’s research has been funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the National Institute of Justice, and the National Science Foundation, where he received a prestigious CAREER Award. In partnership with Dr. Sasha Barab, he has analyzed tens of thousands of youth-authored stories, exploring criminogenic needs such as antisocial attitudes, poor family relations, substance abuse, and unresolved trauma, while also surveying hundreds of juvenile justice officers to identify ways to best support positive youth change.

Dr. Brian Lovins is the President for Justice System Partners (JSP). He earned his PhD in Criminology from the University of Cincinnati. He is currently President-Elect for the American Probation and Parole Association (APPA). Prior to JSP, Dr. Lovins worked for Harris County CSCD as the Assistant Director. He was tasked with developing and implementing agency wide change plans to drive increased successful completion rates. In addition, he has the Associate Director for the University of Cincinnati’s Corrections Institute—the School of Criminal Justice’s training and research department. He has developed a state-wide juvenile risk assessment (Ohio Youth Assessment System: OYAS) and adult risk assessment (Ohio Risk Assessment System: ORAS), as well as validation of a series of pretrial risk assessments. Dr. Lovins has been invited to present to over 200 agencies and routinely trains agencies in the principles of effective intervention, risk assessment, and the delivery of cognitive-behavioral interventions. Dr. Lovins has received the Dr. Simon Dinitz Award for his work and dedication in helping correctional agencies adopt evidence-based programs and the David Dillingham Award, as well as a being recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus from the University of Cincinnati. His publications include articles on risk assessment, sexual offenders, effective interventions, and cognitive-behavioral interventions.