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PA Needs More Mental, Behavioral Healthcare Workers

by Danielle Smith, Keystone State News Connection

Feb 13, 2023

A Pennsylvania children’s advocacy group said the state should be doing more to help end a critical staffing shortage of mental and behavioral health workers.

The Keystone State is among 43 states with too few psychiatrists and other health professionals, according to a report to the General Assembly.

Michael Slack, president and CEO of KidsPeace Pennsylvania, said it is important for legislators to know the continuing shortage has a lot to do with the lack of money available to recruit and pay staff in these positions.

“In our business of mental health care, hiring and staffing has always been a challenge with us, because historically, organizations like KidsPeace have been underfunded,” Slack contended. “Therefore, the amount that we can pay in wages has been limited.”

While the workforce shortage is not new, Slack pointed out the pandemic prompted more health care workers to leave the profession due to burnout, or to move into other industries.

Slack noted they have recently developed a new department exclusively focused on recruiting direct-care workers and nursing professionals. He explained training, development and raising awareness about jobs in the field are all critical to meet the state’s needs for mental and behavioral health care, now and into the future.

“There needs to be a workforce development initiative across Pennsylvania, to attract the future workforce to this field,” Slack stressed. “Starting in high school and colleges, helping people to understand what the needs are, how they can make a difference.”

During the course of the pandemic, Slack noted regulations changed, and they began delivering more services through telehealth, including child and adolescent psychiatry. He acknowledged the telehealth platform reaches people who previously might not have had access, or whose care might not have been covered prior to the pandemic.

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