Northwell Health’s Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research has been awarded a $4 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) to advance the diagnosis and treatment of severe mental health conditions, particularly psychosis. The funding will support the development of an AI-powered system that analyzes speech and language patterns to create objective, personalized “vital signs” for mental health. The project aims to transform clinical care by using advanced artificial intelligence to detect subtle changes in speech—such as pauses, word choice, sentence structure, and vocal tone—that may signal the onset or worsening of psychosis. These linguistic biomarkers could provide clinicians with real-time, data-driven insights, enabling earlier intervention and more individualized treatment plans. Currently, diagnosing psychosis relies heavily on subjective assessments and patient self-reports, which can vary widely and delay effective care. By contrast, the AI system being developed will process natural speech from clinical interviews or everyday interactions, identifying patterns linked to symptom severity with greater precision. Researchers at the Feinstein Institutes will collaborate with experts in artificial intelligence, linguistics, psychiatry, and data science to train and validate the models using large, diverse datasets. The ultimate goal is to create a scalable, clinically usable tool that can be integrated into routine mental health evaluations. If successful, this innovation could significantly improve outcomes for patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and other psychotic disorders by enabling earlier detection, more accurate monitoring, and timely adjustments to treatment. The initiative also aligns with broader efforts to incorporate digital biomarkers into mental health care, moving toward a more objective and proactive approach. The grant underscores growing recognition of AI’s potential to address critical gaps in mental health diagnostics and underscores the Feinstein Institutes’ leadership in leveraging technology to advance psychiatric research and patient care.