TY - JOUR
KW - Adolescent
KW - Adult
KW - Databases as Topic
KW - Female
KW - Health Manpower/classification/statistics & numerical data
KW - Humans
KW - Licensure/statistics & numerical data
KW - Male
KW - Mental Health Services/manpower
KW - Middle Aged
KW - Primary Health Care
KW - Rural Population
KW - United States
KW - Urban Population
KW - Young Adult
AU - A. R. Ellis
AU - T. R. Konrad
AU - K. C. Thomas
AU - J. P. Morrissey
A1 - 
AB - OBJECTIVE: This study compiled national county-level data and examined the geographic distribution of providers in six mental health professions and the correlates of county-level provider supply. METHODS: Data for six groups--advanced practice psychiatric nurses, licensed professional counselors, marriage and family therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers--were compiled from licensing counts from state boards, certification counts from national credentialing organizations, and membership counts from professional associations. The geographic distribution of professionals was examined with descriptive statistics and a national choropleth map. Correlations were examined among county-level totals and between provider-to-population ratios and county characteristics. RESULTS: There were 353,398 clinically active providers in the six professions. Provider-to-population ratios varied greatly across counties, both within professions and overall. Social workers and licensed professional counselors were the largest groups; psychiatrists and advanced practice psychiatric nurses were the smallest. Professionals tended to be in urban, high-population, high-income counties. Marriage and family therapists were concentrated in California, and other mental health professionals were concentrated in the Northeast. CONCLUSIONS: Rural, low-income counties are likely candidates for interventions such as the training of local clinicians or the provision of incentives and infrastructure to facilitate clinical practice. Workforce planning and policy analysis should consider the unique combination of professions in each area. National workforce planning efforts and state licensing boards would benefit from the central collection of standardized practice information from clinically active providers in all mental health professions.
BT - Psychiatric services (Washington, D.C.)
C5 - Education & Workforce
CP - 10
CY - United States
DO - 10.1176/appi.ps.60.10.1315
IS - 10
JF - Psychiatric services (Washington, D.C.)
N2 - OBJECTIVE: This study compiled national county-level data and examined the geographic distribution of providers in six mental health professions and the correlates of county-level provider supply. METHODS: Data for six groups--advanced practice psychiatric nurses, licensed professional counselors, marriage and family therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers--were compiled from licensing counts from state boards, certification counts from national credentialing organizations, and membership counts from professional associations. The geographic distribution of professionals was examined with descriptive statistics and a national choropleth map. Correlations were examined among county-level totals and between provider-to-population ratios and county characteristics. RESULTS: There were 353,398 clinically active providers in the six professions. Provider-to-population ratios varied greatly across counties, both within professions and overall. Social workers and licensed professional counselors were the largest groups; psychiatrists and advanced practice psychiatric nurses were the smallest. Professionals tended to be in urban, high-population, high-income counties. Marriage and family therapists were concentrated in California, and other mental health professionals were concentrated in the Northeast. CONCLUSIONS: Rural, low-income counties are likely candidates for interventions such as the training of local clinicians or the provision of incentives and infrastructure to facilitate clinical practice. Workforce planning and policy analysis should consider the unique combination of professions in each area. National workforce planning efforts and state licensing boards would benefit from the central collection of standardized practice information from clinically active providers in all mental health professions.
PP - United States
PY - 2009
SN - 1557-9700; 1075-2730
SP - 1315
EP - 1322
EP - 
T1 - County-level estimates of mental health professional supply in the United States
T2 - Psychiatric services (Washington, D.C.)
TI - County-level estimates of mental health professional supply in the United States
U1 - Education & Workforce
U2 - 19797370
U3 - 10.1176/appi.ps.60.10.1315
VL - 60
VO - 1557-9700; 1075-2730
Y1 - 2009
ER -