Family medicine prof cites shortage of mental health workers in Indiana
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — There’s a shortage of mental health workers across Indiana, according to a professor of family medicine at Indiana University.
Hannah Maxey says the consequences of untreated mental illness are far-reaching, and they’re impacting Indiana citizens and communities.
“They can be seen in homelessness and unemployment as well as incarceration rates and low graduation rates. Perhaps most alarming is the impact that untreated mental illness may be having on our youth. Recent reports suggest that more than half of Indiana youth aged 12-17 that report having depression also report that they have not received any treatment for it.”
Maxey says she and her colleagues at IU are working on a project to strengthen Indiana’s behavioral health workforce by aligning the training pipeline and Indiana’s behavioral health service needs.
Mental health resources
- Be Well Indiana
- Indiana Suicide Prevention
- Indiana Department of Child Services’ Children’s Mental Health Initiative
- National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988 or 800-273-8255
- More resources