Mental Health Researcher: One in four counseling positions currently unfilled across Minnesota

(Mankato, MN) -- Rural mental healthcare providers say they are in need of solutions following the release of a report on Tuesday. 

The data comes from a study released to the public by the Center for Rural Policy and Development and the Minnesota State University Mankato's Center for Rural Behavioral Health. The study found the number of counselors in Minnesota is dramatically lower than it should be in comparison to previous years; saying approximately 8% of jobs were unfilled in 2019, but that number jumped to 26% in 2021. 

"A quarter of that workforce or more is empty jobs, "said Marnie Werner, The VP of Research & Operations at the Center for Rural Policy and Development, who largely attributed the gap to burnout, an influx of retirements, and a lack of new counselors entering the field.

The study found the smallest communities often have the largest gaps in professional to patient ratios. In a metropolitan area, there is approximately one mental health professional for every 197 residents. That number grows when you reach a micropolitan area (1 mental health professional per 258 residents), small town (1 mental health professional per 306 residents), and isolated rural areas (1 mental health professional per 741 residents). Werner says this is on top of an aging population of mental health professionals that likely aren't going to see a serious amount of replacements for years to come. 

"2/3rds of [colleges across Minnesota] that responded say they turn away qualified students every year because of capacity issues, they simply don't have enough faculty to take in more students, "said Werner.

The study lists multiple policy suggestions to alleviate the shortage in mental health providers. This includes providing more internships to rural locations, providing up front financial assistance and tuition aid, finding additional support for educational support programs at colleges and universities, and increasing pay for counselors in training. Additional details on those policy suggestions can be found here.