Policy & Practice | Fall 2025

The Breakthrough: Real time, AI-Powered Feedback To help scale training and quality monitoring, many human services agencies across state, county, and local governments have partnered with Lyssn, an AI platform special izing in providing on-demand training and quality for evidence-based practice such as MI. The platform securely supports more accessible, consistent, and effective care and interventions—without sacrificing fidelity or overwhelming already burdened staff. Lyssn provides an AI-driven scalable alternative—purpose-built specifically for human services and child welfare contexts. The platform analyzes recorded or simulated conversations and delivers objective, real-time feedback on key skills that front-line workers and supervisors alike can leverage to improve overall perfor mance and client outcomes (see Skill Module 3 graphic). For the first time ever, these secure and validated AI models are now being employed to track factors such as: n Empathic engagement: Responding to emotion with understanding and empathy n Reflective listening: Use of affirma tions, summaries, and open-ended questions n Model fidelity: Adherence to MI, trauma-informed care, and other approaches n Automation of regulatory tracking: Supervisors can easily track fidelity requirements for FFPSA or other regulatory systems Instead of relying on sporadic reviews, agencies can now offer immediate feedback and skill-building opportunities to every single team member, no matter their location or schedule. “In Wyoming, our Department of Family Services uses Lyssn’s AI for fidelity monitoring, and officials have recently decided to expand its use to enable staff to segment large data sets by district. Now, the data the platform provides informs state MI training. And because conversations with families often occur in noisy environments, this technology can be very impactful in their

have reported measurable and sus tained gains: n Faster onboarding and upskilling, even in high-turnover settings n Consistent feedback and supervision, regardless of geography n Time and cost savings in documenta tion and review processes n Improved service delivery, as measured by client engagement metrics n The ability to automate FFPSA regu latory requirement tracking “Lyssn has been a great addition to how we support our Family Centered Services providers in strengthening their motivational interviewing (MI) skills. The platform is user-friendly, and staff appreciate how seamlessly it integrates into their day-to-day work. The imme diate, objective feedback helps them grow in both skill and confidence. It’s been a powerful tool for fostering a supportive learning environment where MI feels approachable, practical, and impactful.” — ASHLEY F. JOHNSON, MSW, DIRECTOR OF LEARNING AND EVALUATION,

understanding, especially with some thing as complex as human language.”

—MARIA VASQUEZ JAMES, POLICY ANALYST, WYOMING DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY SERVICES

Lyssn’s Advanced Child Welfare MI modules feature four practice clients, with unique backgrounds tailored for child welfare, for skill development. With secure, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)-compliant dashboards, on-demand training modules, and realistic practice scenarios, Lyssn has enabled new hires to onboard and level up, and for experienced staff to consistently refine their skills. In addition, supervisors receive actionable insights into workforce development and improved overall service delivery, which is linked to improved client outcomes. Real Impact: Better Training and Quality for a Brighter Future for Families Agencies that have incorporated AI into their training and QI workflows

COALITION FOR FAMILY AND CHILDREN’S SERVICES IN IOWA

Images courtesy of Lyssn

Fall 2025 Policy & Practice 43