National Suicide Prevention Month 2024: Unpacking the Critical Role of Mental Health Social Workers

**If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7 for free and confidential support, or text “MHA” to 741741 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor.**

America is in the midst of a mental health crisis—in 2022, over 49,000 people died by suicide, and millions more have struggled with suicidal thoughts, with many attempting to take their own lives. What’s more, 59 million people (23% of U.S. adults) had a mental illness in 2022, and nearly half didn’t receive any treatment, according to the United States Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). 

Mental health social workers often work on the front lines of the mental health crisis: building meaningful relationships with those struggling with mental illness and providing therapy and resources to these patients and their families. But while the supply of these clinicians is growing at a quick rate in general (7% between 2023 and 2035 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics), there’s reason for concern that the U.S. will soon be short social workers who specialize in mental health and healthcare.

September is National Suicide Prevention Month, and in recognition of this important awareness month, we’re taking a closer look at the role mental health social workers have in combatting the mental health crisis, the factors behind the projected workforce shortage, and how travel social workers can help fill in some of the gaps. 

What is a social worker?

Social workers are trained professionals that help individuals, families, groups, and communities address and overcome challenges in their lives, whether that be disease, disability, mental health, or psychosocial problems. These highly-impactful clinicians come in all different shapes and sizes, specializing in areas such as:

• Administration and Management
• Advocacy and Community Organizing
• Aging
• Child Welfare
• Developmental Disabilities
• Healthcare
• Mental Health and Substance Use

Social workers can be found helping people in a wide variety of different environments, such as:

• Schools
• Hospitals
• Mental Health Clinics
• Senior Centers
• Prisons
• Private and Public Organizations

What do social workers do?

While there are many different types of social workers, all of them operate under the same overarching goal: help others improve their own lives. These clinicians act as a champion for others, working alongside them to tackle problems through useful resources and counseling.

How social workers accomplish this goal depends heavily on the type of social worker they are, but typically, their work follows a similar pattern:

• Counseling and Support: Provide emotional support and counseling to people facing personal issues. 
• Advocacy: Act on behalf of people seeking help to ensure they receive the services and support they need. 
• Resource Coordination: Help people access resources, services, and programs that can help them improve their lives. 
• Community Engagement: Work in communities to identify needs, develop programs, and promote social change to enhance quality of life. 

What is a mental health social worker?

Mental health social workers are trained and licensed professionals that specialize in treating people with mental illness or substance use disorders.

These social workers identify people struggling with mental illness or addiction and work collaboratively with them to address their underlying problems. They assess the needs of those they work with through counseling and relationship-building, aiming to become a true confidant of their client and an active advocate for their well-being. 

Once a mental health social worker understands the needs of their client from a holistic perspective, they seek out resources and guide their client through the process of recovery or seeking professional help. They’re also counselors in their own right, working alongside their client to give them strategies and advice on how to work toward overcoming their problems. 

Ultimately, a mental health social worker acts as a person’s go-to resource, setting them up for success with organizations and programs that can help them overcome challenges. 

Is there a shortage of mental health social workers?

While there isn’t data to support that there’s a current shortage of mental health social workers in general in the U.S., future projections aren’t so rosy and there is a shortage in rural areas. According to the HRSA, if things stay the same between now and 2036, the country will be short a projected 3,920 healthcare social workers and 8,250 mental health and substance abuse disorder social workers. 

Today, rural areas have far fewer social workers than urban ones, which means that those who live in more pastoral regions of America have fewer options to seek help. In fact, the HRSA reports that in 2021, 22% of rural counties do not have behavioral health social workers, compared to only 5% of urban counties. 

This maldistribution of social workers illustrates severe inequality in accessing behavioral health treatment for people who live in rural areas. So while there are enough social workers in the United States today, many of them aren’t working in places where they’re needed the most. 

How can travel social workers help?

Travel social workers move across state lines from facility to facility for a living, making them excellent resources for facilities in rural areas (or those dealing with staffing problems) to provide care and maintain it for patients in their communities. 

These travel clinicians are often pre-vetted and pre-licensed, meaning they can be deployed quickly to areas in the country where there is the most need. Not only can these clinicians help support existing behavioral healthcare infrastructure, they can also help facilities build up new services and programs to better serve their patients. 

If you’re a facility looking for travel social workers, reach out to us today and our experienced account executives will help you find the right clinician.