Now More than Ever, Diversifying the Mental Health Workforce Benefits Us All
By Nathalie Lebrón, Senior Policy Associate, and Alisa Orlowsky, Communications Associate
Despite BIPOC communities having similar rates of mental health conditions to white people, they’re much more likely to go untreated, mis- or over-diagnosed, or to leave services, with long-reaching impacts on them and their communities. In light of the uncertainty facing the human services fields, we’ve taken a look at our data on how to fix these challenges—starting with making the mental health workforce better reflect the communities they serve.
It’s no secret that our health care systems often do not fulfill their purpose. Mental health treatment—with challenges regarding access, quality, cultural competency, among others—is a prime example. In 2023, one in five adults in the US experienced mental health issues. While this affects people of every race, ethnicity, education level, income, and area code, like in many other systems, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities face the biggest challenges to receiving meaningful services.
Why a Diverse Mental Health Field Matters for Everyone
Despite BIPOC communities having similar rates of mental health conditions as white folks, they are less likely to have access to or receive quality mental health services. Data shows that unaddressed mental health issues have a significant impact on BIPOC communities, which have contributed to poorer health outcomes, lower socioeconomic status, and reduced life expectancy. Notably, suicide was the third leading cause of death for Black people ages 10-24 in 2022.
When BIPOC individuals do have access to much-needed mental health support, they are often faced with a lack of culturally affirming care. Among Black communities, this translates to worse mental health outcomes, including higher rates of overdiagnosis and misdiagnosis. When quality care is out of reach, the negative impact affects not only the individual, but their family and community as well.
When mental health providers reflect the communities they serve—whether through shared lived experiences or racial or ethnic background—it can lead to more trust, better insights, and heathier outcomes. But the racial and ethnic disparities that affect those receiving care also affect those providing care.
When mental health providers reflect the communities they serve—whether through shared lived experiences or racial or ethnic background—it can lead to more trust, better insights, and heathier outcomes for everyone.
The lack of culturally affirming care is, in part, a consequence of the underrepresentation of BIPOC people in the helping profession field (i.e., social work, psychology, and psychiatry). An overwhelming majority of practicing psychologists identify as white (81 percent), with only 8 percent identifying as Hispanic/Latine, 5 percent as Black/African American, and 3.7 percent as other non-white racial/ethnic groups. Similar rates are apparent in psychiatry. Among social workers, 65.6 percent identify as white, followed by 24.7 percent Black/African American, and 17 percent Hispanic/ Latine.
There is a growing consensus across these fields that increasing BIPOC representation in the workforce—which includes private practice as well as philanthropy- and government-funded services provided by community-based organizations (CBOs)—is necessary to increase and strengthen the availability of culturally affirming care. This is especially true when looking at managerial and leadership positions, which often have the biggest disparities compared to line staff.
Using Community Insights and Data to Understand What’s Broken—and How to Fix it
Last year, we set out to understand the barriers to becoming a helping professional generally and in particular for BIPOC people, as well as challenges faced while working and advancing as a helping professional. I Want to Be the Help I Never Received”: Barriers to BIPOC Representation in the Helping Professions & Recommendations to Address Them synthesizes what we learned, and lays out what funders, nonprofit leaders, and state and local policymakers can prioritize to help mitigate and address the barriers identified in the report.
To understand what it looks like to enter and progress in the field, we spoke to 133 people in the helping professions, including students, front-line workers, university leaders, CBO heads, and more. We found that barriers for BIPOC individuals entering and progressing in the helping professions include:
The financial burden of unpaid coursework and field placement hours required for certification.
A prospective student shared that “for some, having a good income for themselves and their families … will take priority over what is more fulfilling,” ultimately deterring some from pursuing a career in the helping professions.
Microaggressions and tokenism in education and workplace settings for individuals from underrepresented backgrounds.
A social worker described superficial treatment of racism in the curriculum: "Once we are in school, we are faced with systemic racism—we are not always validated for our knowledge and expertise in areas. And we may be used as examples in classroom settings when discussing cases related to racism and injustices, and this causes more harm and shame in the classroom.”
Limited opportunities for advancement and paper ceilings, particularly for people without advanced postsecondary education and/or who have criminal legal histories (particularly troubling as credible messenger positions are increasingly seen as necessary for outreach and connection).
A leader in the nonprofit field spoke to the reality that “....even if someone system impacted gets an education, they may not get a license because of their criminal background.”
Based on these and other challenges identified in the report, our recommendations to address these barriers include:
Creating a continuum of exposure opportunities for future BIPOC helping professionals, from youth through college and beyond.
Offering financial support and wraparound services to those pursuing careers in the helping professions, especially those who do not have access to ties or funds to support them through school.
Providing mentorship and interpersonal support during degree programs, internships, placement, and in securing and advancing in permanent positions can help people grow support systems and roots in the field.
Making these jobs more sustainable as careers by increasing salaries, including through removing salary caps in Requests for Proposals (RFPs), rethinking qualifications to senior positions, and ensuring workers have manageable and fair caseloads.
Explore additional barriers and recommendations in the report.
New Threats Mean Strengthening our Systems is More Important than Ever
Much has changed since the release of this report in May 2024, such as the nationwide reversals of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives and the penalization of educational institutions who intentionally recruit students who may not otherwise have access to higher education. Ongoing federal funding cuts in the nonprofit and health care sector are also impacting staff and services, like reducing the workforce at a time when more mental health and social service support is in demand. These changes will also have significant implications for education, social service, and healthcare for everyone, but disproportionately more so for BIPOC communities.
The policy and funding changes we’ve seen this year so far, and others coming down the pike, only reinforce the need for a unified voice advocating for a diverse mental health workforce.
The policy and funding changes we’ve seen this year so far, and others coming down the pike, only reinforce the need for a unified voice advocating for a diverse mental health workforce. In order to survive and thrive during challenging times, communities must have access to culturally affirming care from professionals who understand their language, culture, and lived experience. Many BIPOC individuals we spoke to in the report expressed a desire to become the support that was lacking in their communities when they needed it, a calling to be representative of the communities they serve.
Now more than ever, our mental health and supportive service networks need the resources to do so. It’s vital that funders and decision makers both understand and reflect on how the helping professions will be impacted and what they can do to preserve the health and well-being of all communities.
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