Have you ever considered becoming a mental healthcare worker?
- Joss Burns
- Apr 12
- 4 min read
This post is based on a podcast conversation featuring Dr. Joseph E. Troiani and Brooke Werner. You can find the recording here.
Back in 2021, the American Association of Medical Colleges published some shocking statistics.The state of Illinois had the capacity to meet just 24% of the state’s mental health needs.
There has been progress made since then. A bill removed an exam, called Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) MSW exam, that was known to be biased and was a requirement for licensed social workers (LSWs) in Illinois. Since then, the number of LSWs rose from 5,037 in December 2021 to 10,086 in 2023.
This is positive news – but it has not solved the problem by any means. Even with the rise in LSWs, a recent report by the Health Resources & Services Administration claims that 51% of the state, live in areas considered “mental health professional shortage areas.”
The simple fact of the matter is that we need more professionals who are able to serve and support those in Illinois (and the country as a whole) who are suffering from mental health problems.
Attracting workers to the mental health field
In a recent interview, Morayo Orija from Mental Health America Illinois sat down with Dr. Joe Troiani, Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology at Adler University in Chicago and a MHAI board member; and Brooke Werner, a grad student at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology where she’s pursuing a Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.
For both Dr. Troiani and Brooke, their paths to working in mental health began with a common theme – interest. From the beginning, both had a unique interest in mental health as a professional vocation.
As Dr. Troiani says, “I’ve had a long-term interest in mental health and substance abuse problems. Part of that is what I’ve seen in my own family. I started as a theater and mass media major.” But during his degree, he found a passion for mental health and switched majors.
Brooke, likewise, found her passion during her studies, saying “I took a couple of psychology courses and it fascinated me. I decided to make it my major.”
The shortage of mental health workers
Having young people like Brooke join the field is more needed now than ever before. According to Dr. Troiani, there are a few reasons for this.
Although, as mentioned, there are more healthcare professionals overall, we are still experiencing the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. As Dr. Troiani, himself a military veteran puts it, “the restrictions had consequences. In the military alone, mental health diagnosis has gone up 40% since COVID.”
Adding to the problem of an increase in mental health issues among the population, Dr. Troiani makes the point that many people put their lives and careers on hold during the pandemic. People who would have studied psychology or related subjects put it off, leading to a shortage now.
This means that, as Dr. Troiani says, “If there was ever a great time to come into the field, it’s now.”
It’s never too late
People like Brooke are getting into the field now at a young age, right at the beginning of her career. She is pursuing the “usual route,” as she describes it – graduating college 2023 before starting her master’s program in spring 2024, and is currently applying to internships.
But this doesn’t have to be the case for all.
In his teaching, Dr. Troiani finds that there are also a lot of second career or changing career students in their 30’s or 40’s, many of which have lived experiences with mental health challenges.
He says that there are, “lots of veteran students who have experienced PTSD,” and who now want to gain the tools and knowledge to help those in a similar situation.
A rewarding career for life
Besides being a career that anyone can pursue – provided they have the interest and the passion – it is also a career that is endlessly rewarding.
When describing what it’s like, Dr. Troiani uses an affectionately borrowed expression to illustrate his point. “If you help one person, you’ve helped the world. That’s rewarding, it’s energizing.”
Brooke has all this to look forward to, saying, “I hear all these things from my professors, but I’ve not been in the field yet. I’m excited to get to work with people.”
While rewarding, it’s also a career that is difficult to age out of. Dr. Troiani maintains that provided you have your mental faculties, you can continue almost indefinitely, while also being excited to see what new ideas younger people bring to the equation.
As an example of this, they point to the increased access of rural communities to mental health care thanks to remote consultations.
Are you passionate about mental health?
If you are passionate about some area of mental health and helping others, it’s time to seriously consider training in this area. Not only is there a higher demand of people who would benefit from your support, but there are programs in place to help those who want to study.
Dr. Troiani points out that there are loan forgiveness programs, scholarships for military personnel, and other opportunities out there to make this as accessible a career as possible for those who want to pursue it.
If you would like to find out more about what it takes to get into the field, reach out to us today. We will put you in contact with the right people to give you advice, whether opportunities for financial support, an idea of what studying looks like, or what your career could be like afterwards.
Follow your passion – contact us today!
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