YAKIMA, Wash. — Yakima Valley Community College (YVCC) and the Washington State Department of Health (HCA) today held a Behavioral Health Career Forum to engage students, community members, and local professionals during the growing health care provider shortage. tied together.
With Washington state having one behavioral health worker for every 360 residents, Yakima County has an even lower ratio, and the community is in dire need of more behavioral health professionals, especially bilingual health care providers. I’m here.
“Education has been delivered in densely populated areas where people are more likely to speak English fluently. If we want to grow providers in our communities, we need to provide them with education.” said Hope Baker, District 105 Student Assistance Programs Manager.
This event highlighted the critical need for behavioral health workers in Yakima County, where there is a shortage of qualified professionals. Participants learned about recruitment efforts and local career resources available to those interested in entering the field.
The panel discussion emphasized the critical need for behavioral health services, especially since nearly one in three adults in the state have experienced a substance use disorder or mental illness in the past year. This need is especially acute in rural areas like the Yakima Valley, where staff shortages can lead to ongoing mental health crises and strain the broader health care system.
Additionally, people of color are underrepresented in behavioral health care providers, despite research showing that patients experience better health outcomes when treated by health care providers with similar cultural backgrounds. The proportion is less than 20%. Closing this diversity gap can improve access to mental health in underrepresented communities.
Continued collaboration between the public and private sectors is essential to address these workforce challenges. HCA’s “Start Your Path” campaign aims to raise awareness about careers in behavioral health and provides resources in both English and Spanish at StartYourPath.org. The campaign focuses on a variety of career paths, regardless of educational background, and is focused on increasing representation in the field.
To learn more about behavioral health careers and resources, visit StartYourPath.org.
