A National Snapshot of Training and Technical Assistance Needs Within the Mental Health Workforce

Psychiatr Serv. 2024 Sep 11:appips20230602. doi: 10.1176/appi.ps.20230602. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

Objective: This report summarizes results from a national survey that aimed to assess the training and technical assistance needs of individuals who work in mental health.

Methods: A survey was distributed to mental health workers by 10 regional centers of a large, nationwide, federally funded training and technical assistance network during January-October 2021.

Results: A total of 2,321 individuals from 58 states and territories responded to the survey. The three training and technical assistance needs they indicated most frequently were equitable and culturally responsive services, co-occurring mental and substance use disorders, and mental health awareness and literacy.

Conclusions: The survey findings reflect the continued need to address inequities in mental health services, particularly for communities of color. In addition, a cluster of topics (i.e., mental health awareness and literacy, trauma-informed care, crisis services, grief, and provider well-being) stemmed from the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on the nation's mental health.

Keywords: continuing education; cross-cultural issues; education (nonmedical); staff training/inservice.