An attempt to address the shortage of mental health specialists

Mental health continues to grow as an issue, and not everyone has access to a mental health therapist. KFF Health News reported on California's creative effort to help alleviate the shortage of mental health professionals by paying for peer support leaders to conduct group therapy sessions. Being able to share one's difficulties and to connect with others seem to be helpful with regards to people's mental health, and those activities do not require mental health professionals. While not a complete solution, this approach seems to benefit those who cannot afford to see mental health professionals, and likely also benefits the peer leaders themselves.

The article listed some reasons that local governments encounter when trying to hire enough mental health therapists, including offering salaries that are lower than industry and not offering perks like remote work. A fuller solution likely involves increasing salaries, and perhaps for the longer term, increasing the supply of mental health professionals (for example, by offering tuition subsidies in return for agreement to work for the government).