Behavioral and mental health institutions face a workforce crisis that threatens to erode access to treatment. Many workers in the field are nearing retirement, while turnover is stubbornly high—as high as 90 percent each year by some estimates. Unless agencies can replace and retain skilled workers, fewer Americans struggling with mental health disorders and substance abuse will receive treatment. As it is, only 44 percent of the 25 million adults with mental health disorders and 10 percent of the nearly 24 million with substance abuse problems receive care.
Persistent workforce shortages could reduce the quality of care—particularly given the growing awareness of the importance of continuity of care and strong staff-client relationships. This could lead to higher costs for employers and for those who pay the bills for care, whether they are insurers or patients. One estimate puts the cost of replacing lost workers at $4.1 billion annually, including the costs of advertising vacancies, interviewing candidates, and orienting new staff.
In their quest to resolve this workforce crisis, behavioral and mental health centers will not find a solution solely in attracting and retaining licensed professional staff, such as therapists, social workers, and psychiatric nurses. These agencies should also look within, by growing the skills and careers of support staff who act as “first responders.” The women and men who already play critical roles on the frontlines of service delivery could, with proper training and support, fill vacancies in licensed positions.
Through Jobs to Careers, frontline employees built skills and expanded their knowledge about topics necessary to perform their jobs. In turn, they received immediate financial rewards and qualified to advance to higher positions. Behavioral and mental health facilities built and retained talented and committed employees, while bolstering a workplace culture that supported professional development, mentorship, and collaboration. And patients received higher-quality care and services, delivered by a high-quality workforce.
