The U.S. House of Representatives has overwhelmingly passed an amendment (H.R. 609) that allows child and adolescent mental health professionals to be eligible for loan forgiveness.
NAMI (National Association for the Mentally Ill) applauds that move but says much more is needed to address the shortage of child mental health professionals.
They’re advocating The Child Healthcare Crisis Relief Act which calls for more measures including education grants for psychiatrists as well as child mental health paraprofessionals, an increase in the number of Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists permitted under the Medicare Graduate Medical Education Program, scholarships and repayment programs, and grants to schools.
Among other grim statistics, they report, “The federal government has designated 3,543 urban, suburban, and rural localities as Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas” and “The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry [reports] there are currently approximately 6,300 child and adolescent psychiatrists in this country with a need at 32,000.” That number is expected to rise 100% by 2020 while professionals only increase by 30%.
The issue of licensing psychologists or other mental health care providers to prescribe medication was not addressed.
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Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 24 Apr 2006
