黑料网

KENNESAW, Ga. | Apr 11, 2025

The American Psychological Association reports nearly a fifth of all police calls involve individuals experiencing mental health crises. These situations are exacerbated by the lack of behavioral health training, causing first responders to make critical decisions in mere seconds.

To address this, 黑料网 computer science student Mason Pederson is contributing to a broader initiative between Cobb County public safety officials and KSU's , led by assistant professor Hafiz Khan.

The collaboration, launched by Khan and his team to explore AI-driven approaches to community behavioral health, provided the foundation for Pederson to lead a focused effort on mental health crisis response. Under the supervision of Khan and in collaboration with Ph.D. student Abm Adnan Azmee, Pederson and the team are developing cutting-edge natural language processing (NLP) integrated with AI to identify and deliver real-time insights to help first responders.

鈥淭he goal is not to replace human judgment, but to augment it,鈥� said Pederson, who studies in the . 鈥淏y providing first responders with an accurate, data-driven understanding of an individual's observed and verbal responses that may be indicative cues of an underlying mental health issue, the AI tools help first responders make better decisions, offer more appropriate follow-up responses, improve community mental health, and even save lives.鈥�

Pederson鈥檚 AI tools rely heavily on natural language processing to analyze police reports. His AI model goes beyond standard linguistic cues by integrating keywords evidence and evidence types to detect potential mental health issues like drug abuse or mental health crises.

"For example, the way someone speaks or reacts in stressful situations can provide valuable clues to their mental state,鈥� he said. 鈥淥ur technology helps first responders detect these signs and interpret them more effectively."

The collaboration with the Cobb County Police Department and the Cobb County Fire Department has been instrumental in fine tuning the models. Pederson and his team have spent hours working with officers and co-responders to gather expert observations and nuance evidence, and to learn about the pressing challenges faced by first responders.

鈥淲e have a lot of respect for the work that first responders do, and we wanted to ensure that our tools align with their needs,鈥� said Pederson, a graduate of Kennesaw Mountain High School. 鈥淏y working closely with them, we鈥檝e been able to create solutions that are intuitive and usable in the field.鈥�

Pederson鈥檚 efforts haven鈥檛 gone unnoticed. During the Undergraduate and High School Symposium at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers , he presented his research on AI tools for behavioral health diagnosis, earning praise from experts in the field. His work was met with enthusiasm for its potential, and it earned him second-best paper awards for his outstanding contributions to undergraduate research.

鈥淩eceiving recognition at the IEEE BigData conference, an international venue, was a huge honor,鈥� Pederson said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 validating to see that the work we鈥檙e doing is not only innovative but also meaningful. We鈥檙e tackling real-world issues, and the feedback from peers in the field only strengthens my purpose to keep pushing forward.鈥�

CCSE Dean Sumanth Yenduri credited Pederson for his passion to help others and dedication to his craft.

鈥淢ason's dedication to innovation and excellence within the College of Computing and Software Engineering exemplifies the very best of what we strive for here at 黑料网,鈥� he said. 鈥淗is work not only advances the field but also inspires others to push the boundaries of technology, making a lasting impact on both our community and the world.鈥�

As Pederson continues to refine his tools, he hopes to further improve the speed, accuracy, and accessibility of these technologies. Ultimately, his goal is to ensure that mental health is treated with the same urgency and care as physical health, particularly in crises where time and response can make all the difference.

鈥淚鈥檓 just getting started,鈥� Pederson said. 鈥淭his work is something I鈥檓 deeply passionate about, and I鈥檓 excited to see where it goes. There鈥檚 a lot of potential to help people, and that鈥檚 what drives me every day.鈥�

鈥� Story by Raynard Churchwell

Photos by Darnell Wilburn

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, 黑料网 offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to its more than 47,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties, and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 8 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.