Health experts across the country are sounding the alarm, that we are in the middle of a mental health pandemic. Depression cases are increasing, showing rates have tripled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Health experts across the country are sounding the alarm, that we are in the
 middle of a mental health pandemic. Depression cases are increasing, showing
 rates have
 <a
 href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2770146"
 target="_blank"
 >tripled</a
 >
 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Beyond the physical impact and health
 fears brought on by the virus, economic and lifestyle factors have also
 continued to contribute to the mental health crisis.



 Affecting young and old, the closing of businesses and schools, job losses,
 and cancellations of milestone events such as proms or graduations, have all
 had an impact. In fact,
 <a
 href="https://mottpoll.org/reports/how-pandemic-has-impacted-teen-mental-health"
 target="_blank"
 >46% of parents</a
 >
 said their teen showed signs of worsening mental health and job loss
 contributed to an increase in rates of depression or anxiety
 <a
 href="https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/the-implications-of-covid-19-for-mental-health-and-substance-use/"
 target="_blank"
 >by 53.4%</a
 >.



 Now, with the delta variant making its way through the U.S., many of these
 disruptions still exist to some degree for many people. As depression
 continues to be a serious concern and rates rise, the demand for behavioral
 health professionals and treatment is increasing despite a shortage of these
 specialists.



 According to Hank Drummond, Chief Clinical Officer at Cross Country
 Healthcare, &ldquo;We know that crisis such as this one are known to increase
 mental health and addictive disorders, however the unprecedented and
 widespread impact of COVID-19 on our finances, social isolation, economic
 turmoil, and our health has led to an increased need for behavioral
 health.&rdquo;



 While the mental health effects of COVID-19 have clearly impacted the general
 public, there are also segments of the population at even greater risk. This
 is true of the&nbsp;<a
 href="https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness.shtml"
 target="_blank"
 >one in five U.S. adults</a
 >&nbsp;who already have mental health conditions, the millions of Americans
 with&nbsp;<a
 href="https://annals.org/aim/fullarticle/2764311/epidemic-midst-pandemic-opioid-use-disorder-covid-19"
 target="_blank"
 >opioid use disorders</a
 >, those struggling with alcohol and other substance abuse, and certain
 demographic and geographic factors. Perhaps one of the groups at most risk is
 our healthcare providers on the front lines.



 &ldquo;We have already seen that many of our own healthcare providers are
 suffering themselves from the stress and trauma of caring for patients amid
 the pandemic. Given their risk of exposure to the virus, fear of infecting and
 caring for loved ones, longer work hours, and the emotional toll of caring for
 sick or dying patients makes them particularly susceptible to mental health
 concerns,&rdquo; says Drummond.


<h2>Increased Need for Virtual Behavioral Health Services Today.</h2>


 Prior to the pandemic, telehealth was underutilized for mental health
 services. However, that trend has more than reversed itself since the
 pandemic. A recent study examining mental health telemedicine claims from
 January 2020 to February 2021 showed a:


<ul>
 <li>6,500% increase in telehealth claims for behavioral health services</li>
 <li>3,000% increase in telehealth visits for anxiety</li>
 <li>2,500% increase in telehealth visits for depression</li>
 <li>1,400% increase in substance abuse care in telehealth</li>
</ul>


 These findings, among other research studies, verify that mental health
 telehealth visits increased dramatically in just one year.



 &ldquo;There is little question that America has become a nation desperately
 in need of virtual therapy,&rdquo; says Drummond. &ldquo;However, this growing
 demand is putting strains on the health care industry trying to play catch up
 in the use of telemedicine for behavioral health services.&rdquo;



 Adopting telehealth continues to be a paradigm shift for behavioral health
 providers, including psychologists, psychiatrists, licensed clinical social
 workers and licensed practicing counselors, among others. According to
 Drummond, &ldquo;As more health care systems, hospitals and online mental
 health companies continue to experience a massive surge in behavioral health
 services, we believe many will need to meet that demand by introducing new
 services, accelerating the opening of such services, and bringing more
 behavioral health professionals on board,&rdquo; says Drummond.


<h2>Long-Term Need for Behavioral Health Post-Pandemic.</h2>


 There have been barriers in the past that have limited access to behavioral
 health services. For example, in 2018, among the 6.5 million nonelderly adults
 experiencing serious psychological distress, 44% reported seeing a mental
 health professional in the past year. Compared to adults without serious
 psychological distress, adults with serious psychological distress were more
 likely to be uninsured (20% vs. 13%) and&nbsp;<a
 href="https://www.kff.org/health-reform/issue-brief/the-implications-of-covid-19-for-mental-health-and-substance-use/"
 target="_blank"
 >be unable to afford mental health care (21% vs. 3%)</a
 >.



 One of the biggest factors contributing to limited access to behavioral health
 is a current shortage of mental health professionals, which has been
 exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Even despite the Coronavirus Aid, Relief
 and Economic Security (CARES) Act that helped address the increased demand for
 behavioral health by including a $425 million appropriation for use by the
 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, there remains a
 shortage of behavioral health professionals due in part to the surging demand
 for such services.



 A lack of behavioral health professionals is most pronounced in rural
 communities in the U.S. In fact, the U.S. has an average of 30 psychologists
 per 100,000 people and 15.6 psychiatrists per 100,000 people. Yet, over 115
 million people in the U.S. live in designated Health Professional Shortage
 Areas where the ratio of mental health professionals to residents is smaller
 than&nbsp;<a
 href="https://www.goodtherapy.org/for-professionals/personal-development/become-a-therapist/is-there-shortage-of-mental-health-professionals-in-america"
 target="_blank"
 >1 per 30,000 people</a
 >.



 &ldquo;We must begin to prepare and plan for a long-term demand for behavioral
 health support by ramping up hiring of professionals, increasing the use of
 locum tenens particularly in rural areas, and improving our telehealth
 capabilities to deliver these much-needed services,&rdquo; says Drummond

A Behavioral Health Pandemic Remains In The U.S.