Raising wages for human services workers not only is beneficial to those individuals; it is also a strategic policy intervention with far-reaching benefits for communities and the broader economy.

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.

Summer job reports show that human services and state and local government are among the fastest-hiring sectors. But many of these jobs lag behind in wage growth. Our analysis of New York State charts a path for policymakers and other leaders to create a pipeline of quality, sustainable public services.

The study found the sector has doubled since 2000, but that real wages have stagnated compared to private sector employment—with women of color most impacted.  

The following is an op-ed originally published in City Limits, and is based on our report that uncovers the reasons for the underrepresentation of BIPOC communities in the helping professions, with the goal of developing recommendations for investments designed to address those reasons.