Georgia Experiences Psychiatrist Shortage
Georgia has a shortage of psychiatrists. That’s according to a new report by Emory University’s Department of Health Policy and Management at the Rollins School of Public Health. The report was discussed during a recent Carter Center forum on gaps in the mental health workforce and children’s care issues.
Research done by Emory found there are only slightly more 1,000 psychiatrists in Georgia. The report says the problem is the worst in rural areas and nearly half of Georgia’s 159 counties do not have a single psychiatrist. Dr. Ben Druss directs the Center for Behavioral Health Policy at Emory’s Rollins School of Public Health.
“And the problem is likely to get worse in the near future given that nearly half of psychiatrists in Georgia are age 55 and older.”
Druss says one way to boost the number of psychiatrists and the size of Georgia’s mental health workforce is to increase training in community psychiatry.
“This training should be happening after residency, in community psychiatry fellowships, it can happen during residency, and it can happen in med school and earlier on as well as other schools that are training medical professionals.”
The University System of Georgia said the state has recently graduated more licensed medical professionals who could assist with the state’s mental health needs, but other solutions are needed to close the gap.
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