November 10, 2022
Wait lists for therapy are huge and not going away
This summer, Massachusetts General Hospital had 880 people on its wait list for psychiatric services. The list had grown so large that the hospital issued an unusual plea to its physicians: Stop referring psychiatry patients for non-urgent care. The shortage of mental health care providers is especially acute in rural areas, with individuals in Nebraska waiting many months to even get an appointment. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs aims to help veterans stay connected to mental health and other resources through their Make the Connection campaign. Advocate for the mental health needs of your rural community by joining NRHA and hundreds of rural health stakeholders Feb. 7-9 at NRHA’s 34th Rural Health Policy Institute.