Last week, Tommy Ryan and I spent three days in Philadelphia attending the OPEN MINDS Technology & Analytics Institute – a national conference focused on how technology is reshaping behavioral health and human services. The conversations were eye-opening, sometimes sobering, and ultimately energizing. Below are three takeaways that stood out most.
1 – AI Promises Efficiency, But ROI Remains Elusive
Artificial Intelligence dominated every discussion. Vendors showcased AI-powered “ambient listening” tools like ClinicallyAI that automatically generate session notes, promising to give clinicians more face time with clients and less time with keyboards. Many providers we spoke with confirmed those gains—several reported spending 30 – 50 percent less time on documentation and said patients noticed the difference in attention and empathy.
Yet amid the excitement, presenters were careful to draw firm boundaries between “AI as a tool” and “AI as a clinician.” The phrase “clinician in the loop” surfaced constantly. Even the most enthusiastic vendors reminded attendees that every note must still be reviewed and signed off by a licensed professional.
Then came the reality check. In her closing keynote, OPEN MINDS CEO Monica Oss cited findings from MIT’s State of AI in Business 2025 report, which revealed that 95 percent of organizations have seen no measurable return on their AI investments—a statistic that landed like a thunderclap.
Despite billions in enterprise spending, most projects fail to reach production or deliver profit-and-loss impact.
The lesson: resist the temptation to chase shiny objects. Instead, invest where technology clearly enhances existing processes, aligns with mission, and delivers steady value over time.
2 – Without a Tech Strategy, Care Organizations Won’t Survive
Every speaker—from clinicians to CFOs—echoed a shared concern: the policy turbulence and funding uncertainty facing behavioral-health providers are forcing them to do more with less. Between shifting reimbursement models, prolonged government shutdowns, and changes at the federal level, organizations operating on 1 – 3 percent margins can’t afford inefficiency.
Survival now depends on having a technology strategy—not just technology. Successful leaders are aligning digital tools to their organizational mission, prioritizing integration over acquisition, and using data to guide every operational change.
What came through clearly is that technology alone doesn’t create resilience. It merely scales what already exists. Organizations with strong cultures, clear visions, and data-driven decision-making will emerge stronger; those without them will find that new software only magnifies the chaos.
In short: technology amplifies culture. If clarity and alignment aren’t there first, automation just accelerates confusion.
3 – Behavioral Health Is Falling Behind Primary Care
Perhaps the most concerning insight was the widening technology gap between behavioral-health and primary-care providers. According to OPEN MINDS’ 2025 Technology Adoption Survey, roughly 75 percent of primary-care organizations plan to invest in new technologies this year. Among behavioral-health and other specialty providers, that number drops to about 25 percent.
The disparity doesn’t end there. Large specialty providers (those above $50 million in revenue) are budgeting $2–3 million for technology in 2025, while mid-sized organizations plan just $100 – 300 thousand. Considering the industry’s reliance on manual workflows and paper processes, this under-investment feels dangerously shortsighted.
As payers transition toward value-based and measurement-based care, providers will need data, automation, and analytics to prove the quality and efficiency of their services. Without that infrastructure, they risk being left behind—not by competitors, but by compliance itself.
Closing Reflection
Across all three themes, one truth stood out: technology is not the savior—it’s the multiplier. The organizations that will thrive are those that pair a clear mission and healthy culture with intentional, integrated use of the tools they already own.
For behavioral-health leaders, the challenge is not to buy more software, but to align existing technology with how their teams actually work. That’s where real transformation begins—and where partners like ThreeWill can help care organizations turn uncertainty into clarity, and effort into impact.
