New NRI State Profiles report: Workforce Shortages Across the Crisis Services Continuum: 2022

Almost every state is reporting shortages of behavioral health workforce for their behavioral health crisis system. A new NRI State Profiles report highlights the different types of workforce that are in the greatest shortage at different components of the crisis services continuum.

Mobile Crisis Teams (36 states reported shortages) and Less than 24-hour Crisis Receiving and Stabilization Facilities (CRSFs) (35 states reported shortages) were the crisis system components experiencing the greatest shortages, but the disciplines/training needed differs by crisis setting. In < 24 hour CRSFs, most states have shortages of social workers, nurses, and psychiatrists.  For Mobile Crisis Teams, most states have shortages of social workers, licensed behavioral health counselors, and peer specialist 

Peer Specialists were identified as a part of their crisis workforce.  The Profiles report highlights initiatives in states to provide special training to prepare peer specialists to work in the behavioral health crisis system. 

Guided by a Steering Committee of State Behavioral Health (SBHA) Agency Leaders, NRI has been compiling information about priority issues from all the state behavioral health agencies. The first 10 new Profiles reports were released in January and cover behavioral health crisis services, workforce shortages and training initiatives and state support for housing for individuals with mental illnesses.  Profiles reports are available at: www.nri-inc.org/profiles. State Mental Health Agency staff have access to detailed accompanying materials through the NRI’s State Profiles restricted access website. Please contact NRI at [email protected] with any questions or comments.