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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Behavioral health workforce

Training Psychiatrists in New Mexico: Reflections from Psychiatry Residents Who Participated in a Rural Track Versus a Traditional Program Alone over the Past Decade
Presents results of a survey of 74 University of New Mexico psychiatry residents, comparing responses from those who participated in the school's Rural Psychiatry Track (RPT) to non-RPT residents. Describes the experiences of the residents and the RPT program's impacts on the likelihood of residents moving into rural practice.
Author(s): Cynthia Killough, Erin Rush Ortegon, Rahul Vasireddy, et al.
Citation: Academic Psychiatry, 46, 470-474
Date: 01/2022
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Assessment of the Capacity of Virginia's Licensed Behavioral Health Workforce
Provides statewide and locality-specific data on the capacity of each of Virginia's licensed behavioral health (BH) professional types, data regarding Virginia's pipeline to produce more BH professionals, current demand for them, and the consequences of an inadequate supply. Features county-level maps showing distribution of psychiatrists, psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners, licensed clinical psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, and licensed professional counselors, and a map showing Virginia Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas with limited broadband service.
Date: 01/2022
Sponsoring organization: Virginia Health Care Foundation
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Addressing Burnout in the Behavioral Health Workforce Through Organizational Strategies
Offers organization-level interventions to prevent and reduce burnout among behavioral health workers and provides examples of strategies used by other organizations to address burnout. Mentions challenges that contribute to burnout in rural areas, including low occupational prestige and workforce shortages.
Date: 2022
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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The Regional Distribution of Psychiatric Residency Positions Funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs and Its Relationship to Rural Veteran Populations
Details a study on the geographic distribution of psychiatry residency positions funded by the VA from 2014-2020. Breaks down data by residency locations, positions available, and rural versus urban areas served, among other measures.
Author(s): Matthew Vincenti, Anthony Albanese, Edward Bope, Bradley V. Watts
Citation: Academic Psychiatry, 46, 435-440
Date: 2022
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Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska Legislative Report FY 2020 & 2021
Provides an overview of the demographic and geographic characteristics of the behavioral health workforce in Nebraska. Discusses behavioral health workforce recruitment, education, funding, and retention strategies in the state. Compares the supply of behavioral health providers in Nebraska versus the national average, in addition to rural versus urban areas of Nebraska. Includes maps of provider locations, training locations, and integrated primary care/behavioral health care clinics across the state.
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska
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How is the Mental Health Workforce in Texas Distributed?
Report showing the distribution of the mental health care workforce in Texas. Includes a county-level breakdown of the ratio of mental health providers per 100,000 people as well as which counties have no mental health provider. Discusses distribution as a contributor to the mental health workforce shortage.
Date: 11/2021
Sponsoring organization: Texas Health and Human Services
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Utah's Mental Health Workforce 2021: A Study on the Supply and Distribution of Clinical Mental Health Counselors, Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Psychologists in Utah
Discusses mental health provider demographic changes, practice characteristic changes, and projections for the future supply of Utah's mental health workforce. Offer policy recommendations for strengthening the rural mental healthcare workforce, and features statistics including county-by-county distribution of mental health professionals, with breakdowns by urban, rural, and frontier locations,
Author(s): Sydney Groesbeck, Jerry Bounsanga, Andrew Salt, Clark Ruttinger
Date: 11/2021
Sponsoring organization: Utah Health Workforce Information Center
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MACPAC Response to Senate Finance Committee Request for Information on Behavioral Health
Summarizes the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission's (MACPAC) ongoing analysis of behavioral health in Medicaid and CHIP and offers policy recommendations. Discusses the behavioral health workforce; behavioral healthcare service delivery and access; mental health parity; telehealth; and improving access for children and youth. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Date: 11/2021
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Oregon Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas
Shows a county-level map of Oregon identifying Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs).
Date: 11/2021
Sponsoring organization: Oregon Office of Rural Health
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Recruitment and Retention Issues for Counselors in Rural Pennsylvania Substance Use Disorder Treatment Programs
Results of a study of Pennsylvania substance use disorder (SUD) counselors and directors of treatment programs and clinics, to assess the characteristics of treatment counselors in rural Pennsylvania counties and how those characteristics relate to recruitment and retention issues. Also examines how well higher education institutions in rural counties prepare those entering the profession, and analyzes the effectiveness of state-level incentives, like the student loan repayment program, to attract potential SUD counselors. Features statistics on counselors' characteristics and duties, and client characteristics.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Author(s): Jennifer Murphy
Date: 10/2021
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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