Originally Published by Kaiser Permanente.
With more than 44 million Americans having a diagnosable mental health condition—56 percent of which do not receive treatment—taskforces unite from various sectors in strengthening the nation’s mental health workforce.
Last month, the Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Policy hosted a forum on Strengthening America’s Mental Health Workforce at the Center for Total Health to address the challenges and develop effective solutions. Among other leaders, Linda Rosenberg, President & CEO of National Council for Behavioral Health, was in attendance as a panelist.
Following the forum, Rosenberg reported that “now, more than ever, we need an educated and trained workforce to address mental health and substance us challenges facing Americans, but we are coming up short” considering the facts:
- From 2003 to 2013, the number of practicing psychiatrists declined by 10 percent, and 55 percent of U.S. counties have no psychiatrists at all.
- In 2017, substance use and mental health counselors earned a mean hourly wage of just $22.38 (less than some occupations that require no advanced degrees or specialized training).
- As of 2017, only 10 states mandated any kind of suicide prevention training for mental health or health care professionals. Read the full story
