title: Needs Assessment for Behavioral Health Workforce: a State-Level Analysis.
abstract: This study describes trends in the supply and the need for behavioral health professionals in Nebraska. A state-level health workforce database was used to estimate the behavioral health workforce supply and need. Compared with national estimates, Nebraska has a lower proportion of all categories of behavioral health professionals. The majority of Nebraska counties have unusually high needs for mental health professionals, with rural areas experiencing a decline in the supply of psychiatrists over the last decade. Availability of robust state-level health workforce data can assist in crafting effective policy for successful systems change, particularly for behavioral health.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Services Research and Administration, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 984350 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-4350, USA. pnayar@unmc.edu.
authors.forename: Preethy
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nayar
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Services Research and Administration, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 984350 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-4350, USA.
authors.forename: Bettye
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Apenteng
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Services Research and Administration, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 984350 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-4350, USA.
authors.forename: Anh T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Services Research and Administration, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 984350 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-4350, USA.
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shaw-Sutherland
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Services Research and Administration, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 984350 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-4350, USA.
authors.forename: Diptee
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ojha
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Services Research and Administration, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 984350 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-4350, USA.
authors.forename: Marlene
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Deras
mesh_terms: D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006280:Health Workforce; D006801:Humans; D008605:Mental Health Services; D009329:Nebraska; D020380:Needs Assessment; D011570:Psychiatry; D012424:Rural Population
keywords: Behavioral health; Mental health; Needs assessment; Workforce