The shortage of psychiatrists and other mental health providers: Causes, current state, and potential solutions

Psychiatry developed into a medical specialty area in the late 18th century in France.[1] By the 19th century, the thought of psychiatry as a field of medicine began gaining momentum in other countries, and in 1944, the establishment of the American Psychiatric Association was essential in channeling energy into psychiatry’s development here in the United States.[2] Over the next couple of decades, an increasing number of graduating and established physicians began choosing psychiatry as their field of specialty. However, this initial influx was short lived and the trend had slowed down substantially.[3] Over time, an unsustainable status quo emerged, with alarming statistics and predictions of acute mental health provider shortages issued by the Association of American Medical Colleges in 2016.[3] This commentary will discuss the current state of affairs regarding the severe shortage of mental health professionals, including psychiatrists, psychologists, and mental health nurses.[4] Potential solutions to this emerging crisis will be proposed.