A needs-based method for estimating the behavioral health staff needs of community health centers

Table 2 Estimated behavioral health staff needed to serve adults and adolescents in 2010

			Shortage
	Actual –2010 UDS	Model results*	Number of grantees	Shortage**
Behavioral health patients
Mental health	852,984	2,512,224	1,012	1,770,027
Substance abuse	98,760	357,632	1,002	302,613
Behavioral health FTE	5,094	11,699	-	8,777
Licensed mental health providers^#	2,582	6,260	936	4,328
Psychiatrists	394	982	998	748
Other mental health staff	1,264	2,407	997	1,916
Substance abuse providers	854	2,050	998	1,785

*Estimated number based on the model used by the authors.
**Calculated after subtracting out patients and providers in the small number of grantees treating more patients than our model would suggest. This implies that some health centers have patients with particularly high needs for behavioral health services or many patients treated for behavioral health did not rely on the center for other medical care.
^# Psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, and other licensed mental health professionals were grouped together for analyses as “licensed mental health providers”.

ISSN: 1472-6963