U.S. Mental Health Workforce & the State of the Mental Health System: A Primer & Perspectives

The federal government is involved in mental health care in various ways, including direct provision of services, payment for services, and indirect support for services. Policy makers have demonstrated interest in the federal government’s broad role in mental health care. They have done so primarily by holding hearings and introducing legislation addressing the interrelated topics of quality of mental health care, access to mental health care, and the cost of mental health care. This book begins with a working definition of the mental health workforce and a brief discussion of alternative definitions. It then describes three dimensions of the mental health workforce that may influence quality of care, access to care, and costs of care. The book then briefly discusses how these dimensions of the mental health workforce might inform certain policy discussions, and provides statements and testimonies from various individuals on mental health care.