AUSTIN — During Suicide Prevention Month, Texas psychology leaders are highlighting the serious lack of mental health care across the state.
“We all know someone affected by suicide or substance abuse,” said John Bielamowicz, Chair of the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists. “Access to mental health care can be the difference between life and death.”
Texas ranks last in access to mental health services, according to a 2023 Forbes study. The federal government found that 97% of Texas counties don’t have enough mental health support, with 137 counties having no psychologists at all, and 32 counties with just one.
At a recent board hearing, leaders raised concerns that new licensing requirements could make it harder to add more psychologists. Bielamowicz said that a new test, required by the nation’s only psychology licensing exam company, would be costly and create more barriers.
“I’ve never seen such a threat to our ability to license psychologists in Texas,” he said. “We shouldn’t make it harder for people to join this profession.”
Meanwhile, Dell Medical School is working to address the shortage by recruiting future psychologists and placing them in underserved areas. Their Integrated Behavioral Health Scholars Program aims to create a diverse and culturally aware mental health workforce, especially for underserved communities.
“Texas is a proud state, and we shouldn’t be ranked 50th in anything,” said Dr. Lloyd Berg, Chief of Dell Medical School’s Division of Psychology. “We need to push our state representatives to understand and fund mental health issues.”
Last year, Texas invested $11 billion to build 17 new hospitals, focusing on rural areas, making rural mental health care a top priority for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. But Berg says more needs to be done.
“Texas is leading in child behavioral and mental health services,” Berg said. “Our legislature could expand these efforts to reach more of our population.”
Next week, Bielamowicz will testify before the Texas Senate’s Health and Human Services Committee to discuss children’s mental health and healthcare access.
“We see the shortage in access to care, and we’re doing everything we can to address it,” he said.