Mental health might seem like a personal issue. However, common mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can harm productivity as well as individual well-being.
According to North America Behavioral Health Services, depression decreases productivity by about 35%, costing the United States economy about $210.5 billion per year.
Unfortunately, workforce shortages in mental health treatment make it difficult for people to seek the care they need. That’s why many organizations want to create integrated care models that emphasize the role of mental health in healthcare.
Your healthcare organization can take various steps to give patients easier access to mental health services. It often starts with adopting emerging trends in mental health care and changing your approach to healthcare talent acquisition.
Emerging Trends in Mental Health Care
Some emerging trends in mental health care take advantage of new technologies, integrated care models, and workplace initiatives.
Technological Innovations
Technologies like mobile apps and online therapy platforms make access to mental health services more convenient for users. In some cases, they also provide the anonymity that makes people feel more comfortable getting help for the challenges they face in life.
Popular tools behavioral health service providers use to connect with clients include:
Some of these digital therapeutic products pay mental health providers for their services. Others give practitioners tools they can use to connect with clients online. Healthcare organizations should explore their options to find platforms that match their unique needs.
Artificial intelligence could also help behavioral health providers meet client needs. Some organizations have had success using AI to personalize interventions and enhance accessibility.Â
AI could also help predict when patients will experience mental health crises, making it easier to adjust interventions to prevent the crisis or address needs as they evolve.
Integrated Care Models
Integrated care models seek to provide a variety of services from within one system. More often than not, mental health providers work for organizations that exist outside of hospitals, primary care offices, and other access points. Integrating mental health into the physical health system makes it easier for clients to receive the services they need.
However, there are different approaches to embracing integrated care models. With collaborative care, mental and physical healthcare professionals work together to address a broad range of issues. Instead of seeing behavioral health as separate from physical health, this model provides a holistic framework that benefits overall health.
Community-based programs, however, bring mental health to people instead of asking them to visit care facilities. For example, Arts Pharmacy joins forces with community partners to reach potential clients who need mental and behavioral health services. Participants might get “prescriptions” to join activities like playing music with local orchestras. Â Doing so encourages artistic expression and human interaction, which are linked to improved mental health.
Employer-Focused Mental Health Initiatives
Given that mental health challenges can lower productivity and increase absenteeism, it makes sense for employers to give workers access to mental health support systems.
Workplace programs can differ significantly depending on employee needs. For instance, programs might focus on:
- Encouraging social interactions and camaraderie
- Bringing in mental and behavioral health professionals for one-on-one or group therapy
- Rewarding employees for joining gyms or participating in healthy events (fun runs, sports leagues, etc.)
Challenges in Mental Health Care
More than 23% of the U.S. adult population lives with a mental illness. Despite this, there are serious challenges in the mental health care sector that can prevent people from accessing essential services.
Access to Services
Location, cost, and social stigma are just a few of the barriers that make it difficult for people to access services.
Rural areas don’t have enough behavioral health specialists to meet demand. Patients might need to drive for hours to see specialists. (Although telemedicine helps manage this burden.)
While insurance can help make mental health services more affordable, nearly 8% of Americans don’t have medical insurance. Even when they do, there’s no guarantee that their policies will pay for services at nearby clinics.
Overdiagnosis Concerns
There’s also a possibility that practitioners unintentionally overdiagnose mental health conditions. Professionals disagree about whether this happens often enough to merit a response. If overdiagnosis occurs, though, it could overwhelm practitioners, making it even harder for them to serve the population.
The Role of Specialized Recruitment in Enhancing Mental Health Care
Regardless of how organizations try to address mental health issues, the strategy will require highly trained professionals. That presents its own challenges.
Addressing Workforce Shortages
The number of jobs for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors is expected to grow by 19% between 2023 and 2033. Filling new roles will mean recruiting nearly 49,000 new professionals each year, a number the U.S. educational system cannot currently meet.
That doesn’t mean you can’t fill positions within your organization, though. Effective healthcare talent acquisition can position your group as a top destination for new graduates and experienced counselors.
Partner With MRINetwork to Find Top Mental Health Talent
Integrating mental health into modern healthcare will require a radical shift in how healthcare systems and small service providers function. Behavioral health recruitment stands out as one of the most important challenges for organizations to overcome.
Employers, reach out to MRINetwork to partner with an experienced recruiter that already has a large network of job candidates. The future of mental health care presents a lot of obstacles, but recruiting doesn’t have to take up your time and resources.
Connect with MRINetwork