CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — South Carolina is meeting just 27% of its mental health workforce needs, leaving many residents unable to access care, according to a new national report released Tuesday by the mental health advocacy group Inseparable.
The Workforce Report: Bridging the Mental Health Care Gap, highlights how severe provider shortages, driven by low pay, high educational costs and widespread burnout, are straining access statewide.
South Carolina’s progress in adopting state policies that develop the pipeline of workers, bolster the existing workforce, and harness data and technology.
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For every dollar earned by a medical or surgical clinician in South Carolina, psychiatrists earn about 60 cents, the report found, contributing to providers leaving the field and discouraging new clinicians from entering it.
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The shortages reflect a broader national problem. No state currently meets its full mental health workforce need, the report says, and nearly half of Americans with a mental health condition receive no treatment at all. The report also found more than 80% of people with a substance use disorder go without care, partly because 144 million Americans live in areas with too few mental health providers.
Many states are experiencing what the report categorizes as “catastrophic shortages,” including gaps in psychiatric hospitals, community mental health providers and crisis care.
Compensation gaps remain a key driver. The report notes that the Palmetto State is one of 18 states whose therapists earn 70 cents or less for every dollar paid to physician assistants.
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“Across the country, people are reaching out for help and facing endless waitlists, exorbitant outofpocket costs, or no providers at all,” said Angela Kimball, Inseparable’s chief advocacy officer. “This has life and death consequences, and it’s the result of policies and insurance practices that undervalue mental health care. We need to make it easier for providers to join and stay in the workforce.”
The report outlines several policy solutions aimed at expanding access, including growing workforce pipelines, improving reimbursement, expanding telehealth options, addressing licensure barriers, strengthening data systems and supporting provider wellbeing.