methodology · 6 min read · Updated 2026-07-01
How We Test AI Scribes for Behavioral Health
The six-dimension rubric
Every scribe is scored 0–10 on each dimension, then combined using the published weights.
- HIPAA & privacy — 20%
- Note quality — 20%
- Behavioral-health fluency (DSM-5-TR, note formats) — 15%
- Workflow & speed — 15%
- Integrations — 15%
- Pricing & terms — 15%
The four visit types
Coverage is deliberately therapy + SUD, matching this site's scope.
- 60-minute individual therapy intake (biopsychosocial).
- 45-minute individual follow-up including SI risk assessment.
- 60-minute ASAM-informed SUD intake.
- 90-minute DBT skills group with 8 participants.
Editorial independence
Vendors cannot buy inclusion, placement, or a higher score. Rubric weights are set before any commercial relationship. Any affiliate arrangements that exist are disclosed on the specific review pages they touch and never affect scoring.
Rubric score is not the Editor's Pick
The Editor's Pick is a separate editorial recommendation grounded in this site's specific therapy + SUD scope. It considers factors the rubric under-weights for our audience — regulatory posture for 42 CFR Part 2, group-therapy fitness, and audit-ready risk documentation. The rationale is disclosed on the home page and on every guide.
Frequently asked questions
- Do vendors pay to be included in the rankings?
- No. Inclusion is editorial. Scores are set by our rubric before any commercial relationship.
- How often do you re-score scribes?
- Full re-scoring runs quarterly. Individual scribe pages are updated whenever a vendor releases a material change (new EHR integration, price change, security certification).
- Why is Twofold the Editor's Pick if the rubric is objective?
- The rubric score and the Editor's Pick are separate. Twofold's rubric score is 9.0 — narrowly ahead of Blueprint at 8.9. The Editor's Pick reflects our site's specific therapy + SUD scope and its emphasis on 42 CFR Part 2 posture and audit-ready risk documentation, which the rubric under-weights.