The largest contributor to the growing mental health crisis has been increased isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | Unsplash
The largest contributor to the growing mental health crisis has been increased isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | Unsplash
In a time when mental health professionals and service providers are needed more than ever, agencies in the state of Michigan are having a real problem finding suitable professionals to fill the roles that they desperately need filled, according to reporting by Bridge Michigan.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a massive impact on mental health in Michigan and around the rest of the country, and professionals who support mental health infrastructure are needed now more than ever.
One such example is Community Care Services, an organization that provides outpatient mental health treatment and substance abuse rehabilitation to the Detroit metro area. The organization, run by Susan Kozak, has more than 20 job openings that she has been unable to fill. "It’s the No. 1 thing I worry about. We can’t start programs. We can’t expand programs. Our caseloads are through the roof. We are not meeting client needs," Kozak told Bridge Michigan.
Kozak and Community Care Services are certainly not alone. Mental health officials in Michigan are citing the same concerns around the state. Agencies are working hard to recruit mental health workers but haven't made enough progress. Recent data that was released revealed that the pandemic has led to drastic rates of adult depression and anxiety, as well as suicidal thoughts and substance abuse.
A survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation also revealed that young adults are the most heavily impacted, with the age group of 18 to 24 being twice as likely to suffer from the aforementioned conditions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have seemingly echoed the concerns of Michigan officials, warning health departments around the country of a rising crisis when it comes to mental health.
“Emergency departments are often the first point of care for children experiencing mental health emergencies, particularly when other services are inaccessible or unavailable," the CDC stated, according to Bridge Michigan.
For Michigan, the situation is serious because the state already had a shortage of mental health workers prior to the coronavirus pandemic. The pandemic has worsened the situation and left the state's population exposed to the negative consequences of untreated mental health issues.
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