Building knowledge for the entire global mental health movement
LATERAL is building more than a service delivery organization—we're creating a permanent research platform that generates insights for the entire global mental health field. Our research is:
How can evidence-based therapies be effectively adapted across diverse cultural contexts while maintaining therapeutic effectiveness?
What factors enable successful scaling of lay therapy programs? How can we overcome common implementation barriers?
What makes lay therapy effective? Which components are essential and which can be adapted or removed?
How can digital tools enhance—not replace—human therapeutic relationships and improve outcomes?
How can we maximize impact per dollar spent? What delivery models provide the best value for communities?
What training methods work best for lay therapists? How can we ensure quality at scale?
LATERAL employs multimodal data collection to build a comprehensive understanding of mental health interventions:
We use advanced analytical tools as enhancements to human insight, not replacements for it. Our analyses help identify patterns, predict outcomes, and optimize interventions while always keeping human judgment and community wisdom at the center.
All LATERAL research adheres to the highest ethical standards:
Communities are partners in research, not subjects of it. Local advisory boards guide our work.
We maintain strict data security and privacy protections, respecting both international standards and local norms.
Research benefits flow back to participating communities through improved services and capacity building.
Our methods, findings, and limitations are openly shared with communities and the scientific community.
LATERAL is at the forefront of integrating cutting-edge artificial intelligence, machine learning, and generative AI technologies to transform mental health care delivery. Our AI innovations leverage computer vision, natural language processing, and advanced analytics to create unprecedented capabilities in mental health assessment and treatment:
Our AI systems use advanced computer vision and machine learning to analyze video data, extracting multimodal behavioral markers including eye movement patterns, facial expressions, body language, and voice characteristics. This provides objective, real-time assessment of mental health symptoms while maintaining cultural sensitivity.
We employ state-of-the-art generative AI and large language models to create personalized, adaptive training experiences for lay therapists. Our AI generates culturally-appropriate scenarios, provides real-time feedback, and creates customized learning paths based on individual progress and local contexts.
Our machine learning algorithms continuously analyze treatment outcomes across our global network, identifying optimal intervention strategies for different populations. This AI-driven collective intelligence creates a feedback loop that automatically improves treatment protocols while maintaining human oversight.
All AI development at LATERAL prioritizes:
Our team is already demonstrating the transformative potential of AI in mental health through innovative pilot projects:
Led by team member Anand Jeevanandham, Project Sunshine uses AI to detect risk of learning disabilities and related mental health issues in school children through just 2 minutes of video analysis.
This pilot demonstrates how AI can democratize mental health screening, making it accessible even in rural areas with minimal infrastructure.
These pilot initiatives showcase our commitment to developing practical, scalable AI solutions that address real-world mental health challenges while maintaining ethical standards and cultural sensitivity.
Our vision extends beyond current interventions. We're working toward creating a "basket of therapies"—a diverse set of evidence-based, culturally-adapted interventions that communities worldwide can choose from based on their specific needs and contexts.
Through continuous research and innovation, including responsible AI integration, we aim to develop new therapeutic approaches, improve existing ones, and build the knowledge base that will enable mental health care to reach everyone who needs it.