Healthy Minds Policy Initiative report<\/a> examined information from 5,404 licensed behavioral health providers in Oklahoma.<\/p>\nResearchers found:<\/p>\n
31% reported spending 21 or more hours each week directly serving clients, which the report considers full time.49% reported spending between one and 20 hours each week providing direct care.20% reported providing no direct patient care.<\/p>\n
The numbers reflect time spent directly with clients, not the total hours providers spend working. Other responsibilities, such as documentation, treatment planning and administrative work, can also be part of a provider\u2019s workweek.<\/p>\n
Hayes said Oklahoma has traditionally relied on the total number of professional licenses to estimate how many behavioral health providers are available.<\/p>\n
That approach doesn\u2019t necessarily show how much care those providers can deliver.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo we might have by number a really large chunk of providers. But if those providers aren\u2019t practicing at full time capacity or if they\u2019re doing management services or administration services or moved on to another field, we need to have a way to capture that,\u201d Hayes said.<\/p>\n
She said that distinction matters when state leaders are deciding how to strengthen the mental health workforce.<\/p>\n
\n What the findings mean for Oklahoma counties<\/p>\n
The Healthy Minds Policy Initiative report also provides insight into how mental health providers are distributed across Oklahoma.<\/p>\n
Using a benchmark of 50 behavioral health providers per 100,000 residents, researchers found:<\/p>\n
65% of Oklahoma counties meet the benchmark when all licensed providers included in the analysis are counted.39% of counties meet it when providers who aren\u2019t delivering direct care are excluded.19.5% of counties meet it when only providers delivering estimated full-time levels of care are counted.<\/p>\n
According to the report, fewer than 1 in 5 Oklahoma counties meet the benchmark when researchers count only providers delivering full-time levels of care.<\/p>\n
Hayes said the findings could help the state better identify communities where additional mental health services are needed, particularly in rural Oklahoma.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we can map out provider availability, then we can better strategize where we need to incentivize providers to go,\u201d Hayes said.<\/p>\n
She explained that having more accurate information could help Oklahoma develop recruitment efforts that better match the needs of individual communities.<\/p>\n
But bringing providers into underserved areas is only part of the challenge. Hayes said the state also needs to consider what will encourage them to stay.<\/p>\n
She pointed to opportunities to combine financial incentives with efforts to help providers build connections and support systems within the communities where they practice.<\/p>\n
\n What this means for patients looking for help<\/p>\n
For Oklahomans searching for a therapist or counselor, Hayes said the difference between a licensed provider and one who is available to see patients can be significant.<\/p>\n
She said limited availability could mean longer waits for appointments, traveling farther for treatment or difficulty finding a provider who can accept new patients.<\/p>\n
Hayes also raised concerns about people contacting providers listed in directories only to discover they aren\u2019t available.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd if we\u2019ve got provider directories, listing providers who are either not practicing or not practicing at capacity, we\u2019re really creating a barrier for individuals who are doing their best to reach out in the first place,\u201d Hayes said.<\/p>\n
She explained that research suggests people seeking mental health treatment may only reach out once or twice before giving up.<\/p>\n
More accurate workforce information could help state leaders better understand where those barriers exist and how to address them.<\/p>\n
\n Why some providers aren\u2019t seeing patients full time<\/p>\n
Hayes emphasized that the findings shouldn\u2019t be interpreted as a lack of willingness among mental health professionals to work.<\/p>\n
Some providers have moved into teaching, supervision or administrative positions. Others may be dealing with burnout, financial challenges or the demands of providing mental health services.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo it could be that they didn\u2019t make enough money as a provider. The reimbursement rates were too low. It could be that the administrative burden was too high, or it could be that they\u2019re burnt out,\u201d Hayes said.<\/p>\n
She said Oklahoma faces challenges both recruiting new professionals and keeping existing providers in direct patient care.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnfortunately, it\u2019s both,\u201d Hayes said.<\/p>\n
According to Hayes, some professionals are approaching retirement, while others may be hesitant to enter a demanding field that doesn\u2019t always offer competitive pay.<\/p>\n
She also pointed to the lasting demands of providing behavioral health services during the COVID-19 pandemic, when providers faced significant pressure to meet patients\u2019 needs.<\/p>\n
Hayes said understanding these challenges could help Oklahoma develop better strategies to support its existing workforce while encouraging more professionals to enter the field.<\/p>\n
\n Supporting the mental health of those providing care<\/p>\n
As Oklahoma works to improve access to mental health services, Hayes said it\u2019s also important to consider the well-being of the professionals providing that care.<\/p>\n
She said supporting providers\u2019 own mental health could play an important role in helping them remain in the profession.<\/p>\n
Hayes pointed to opportunities for continuing education that focus on establishing boundaries and finding ways for behavioral health professionals to protect their own mental health.<\/p>\n
She said she recently spoke at an Oklahoma Counseling Association meeting about those types of opportunities.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo that\u2019s not necessarily a policy solution as much as it is a community solution,\u201d Hayes said.<\/p>\n
According to Hayes, recognizing burnout and creating opportunities for professional support could help Oklahoma better understand what providers need to continue serving patients.<\/p>\n
She said fair compensation is another important part of supporting the workforce.<\/p>\n
\u201cA good way to take care of a provider is making sure that they are reimbursed fairly for the services that they\u2019re delivering,\u201d Hayes said.<\/p>\n
Hayes said addressing the challenges providers face could help the state retain experienced professionals and maintain access to services for Oklahomans who need them.<\/p>\n
\n How Oklahoma lawmakers could use the findings<\/p>\n
Hayes said the new workforce information could give Oklahoma lawmakers a better understanding of where mental health services are needed and how the state can strengthen its behavioral health workforce.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we go to the legislature and talk to them about the need to build up behavioral health pathways, then we\u2019ve got more clear data about how to approach that,\u201d Hayes said.<\/p>\n
She said the findings could help guide discussions about recruitment, retention and the financial challenges associated with providing mental health services.<\/p>\n
One area Hayes said lawmakers should consider is how Oklahoma\u2019s reimbursement rates compare with those in neighboring states.<\/p>\n
She explained that differences in compensation could influence where professionals choose to practice, particularly in communities near state borders.<\/p>\n
Hayes also pointed to the importance of understanding how Medicaid and commercial insurance reimbursement systems affect providers.<\/p>\n
She said lawmakers should approach the findings as an opportunity to learn more about the challenges professionals face rather than assume those delivering fewer hours of direct patient care are unwilling to work.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe right takeaway is we need to better understand what providers go through when trying to provide services,\u201d Hayes said.<\/p>\n
According to Hayes, a coordinated approach that considers both the needs of patients and the experiences of providers could help Oklahoma make more informed decisions about improving mental health care.<\/p>\n
\n How Oklahoma is building a clearer picture of its workforce<\/p>\n
The findings follow the passage of House Bill 3330 in 2024, which required behavioral health licensing boards to begin collecting more detailed information about the professionals they license.<\/p>\n
The goal is to better understand how many providers are actively delivering care and how much time they spend working directly with clients, Hayes said.<\/p>\n
However, the first year of reporting provides only part of the picture.<\/p>\n
According to the Healthy Minds Policy Initiative report, only the Oklahoma State Board of Behavioral Health Licensure submitted complete data for the initial analysis.<\/p>\n
The report covers 5,404 providers, or about 39% of Oklahoma\u2019s estimated 14,000 licensed behavioral health professionals.<\/p>\n
It does not include several other types of mental health professionals, including psychiatrists, psychologists and licensed clinical social workers.<\/p>\n
As more licensing boards begin providing complete information, researchers said they hope to develop a more comprehensive understanding of Oklahoma\u2019s behavioral health workforce.<\/p>\n
Hayes also pointed to opportunities to use the data alongside changes in student loan programs and rural health initiatives to encourage providers to work in communities where they\u2019re needed.<\/p>\n
She said the additional information could help state leaders make more targeted decisions about recruitment, retention and funding.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, Hayes said the findings give Oklahoma an opportunity to better understand its mental health workforce and the support professionals need to continue providing care.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"OKLAHOMA – Oklahoma has thousands of licensed mental health providers, but until recently, state leaders had limited information…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":880179,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[60],"tags":[97,259,260],"class_list":["post-880178","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-mental-health","tag-health","tag-mental-health","tag-mentalhealth"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/880178","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=880178"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/880178\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/880179"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=880178"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=880178"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=880178"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}