11
TFAH • WBT • PaininTheNation.org
3. Increasing the number of behavioral health providers
A successful behavioral healthcare
system also requires sufficient providers
to care for the growing number of
patients who need treatment. Currently,
there are not enough: 55 percent
of U.S. counties do not have any
practicing behavioral health workers
and 77 percent report unmet behavioral
health needs.
73
In 2011, 43 percent of
counties in the United States did not
have a doctor licensed to prescribe
buprenorphine.
74
Reasons for these
shortages include high turnover rates, an
aging workforce, stigma and low pay.
75
Increasing the workforce intentionally
is incredibly important.
Healthcare systems are working to
address these shortages by:
l
Offering recruitment incentives to
behavioral health providers;
l
Training other providers—such as
peer counselors, community health
workers and paramedics—to serve as
behavioral health workers;
l
Shifting towards providing care
in teams that include physicians,
counselors and recovery specialists to
maximize the use of providers' time
and expertise;
76
l
Implementing innovative approaches
such as telehealth that ease geographic
and logistically difficulties; and
l
Encouraging nurse practitioners
and physician assistants to train and
obtain certification to prescribe
buprenorphine in office settings,
which is permitted under the
Comprehensive Addiction and
Recovery Act (CARA) through
October 1, 2021.
77,78
77% 55%
Percent of U.S. counties that report
unmet behavioral health needs
Percent of U.S. counties that do not have
any practicing behavioral health workers
