Mental illness was on the rise in the U.S. even before COVID-19 hit, and studies show a majority of Americans say their mental health has been negatively impacted due to worry and stress over the coronavirus. In the absence of definitive blood or genetic tests for mental health disorders, and given the acknowledged limitations of self-reporting and questionnaires, there is certainly room for new screening and diagnostic tools. Work is underway to test the effectiveness of brain scans, mobile device data and other modern technologies for diagnosis, but turning to one of the oldest forms of communication might also yield valid clinical results: analyzing speech. That's the focus of Mainul Mondal, CEO and Founder of start-up Ellipsis Health, which is aiming to create a new vital sign for behavioral health by using AI to analyze just a few minutes of speech. "We want to be able to measure depression and anxiety objectively in a scalable, engaging way so you can quantify it and manage it," Mondal tells host Shiv Gaglani in a thoughtful discussion that also touches on the "trust factor" with AI, patient privacy, improving access to care and other potential applications for this approach.