These findings reinforce the importance of human oversight, transparency, accountability, and meaningful consent in building public trust in AI-enabled MHSUH care.

This multi-year initiative responds to a clear and urgent need for practical, ethical, and system-informed direction to support the safe, effective, and equitable use of AI in care delivery. A multi-phase mixed methods approach is being used to synthesize existing evidence and gather new data by consulting with a diverse range of experts in multiple sectors.

A national steering committee provides strategic oversight and expert advice. The committee includes individuals with expertise in clinical practice, policy, AI, ethics, data governance, and lived and living experience, including First Nations, Métis, and Inuit perspectives. It guides project priorities and ensures diverse perspectives are integrated, and members of the committee champion uptake through their networks.

The steering committee is complemented by a multidisciplinary health-care professionals advisory group representing a broad range of front-line disciplines (e.g., physicians, nurses, psychologists, social workers, peer support workers, and community practitioners). Acting in a consultative capacity, the group provides practice-informed input to ensure the guidance is relevant, feasible, and grounded in real-world care and implementation contexts.

The current phase of work represents a critical shift from conceptual considerations to the development of actionable guidance, implementation-oriented criteria, and practical resources to support adoption across the MHSUH ecosystem.