Mindy Klowden, managing director for behavioral health at Third Horizon Strategies and the keynote speaker of the Behavioral Health and Leadership Summit in Kansas City, said that the behavioral health industry is facing a workforce shortage nationwide, largely due to administrative burnout, compassion fatigue and work-life balance.
"Kansas City is reflective of what's going on around the country, and we really need to be thinking comprehensively about the behavioral health workforce in terms of, how do you get folks interested in going into the field to begin with, how do you make it financially sustainable to have those roles, and then how do you help support the people in those jobs by creating work environments that support their wellness as well," Klowden told KCUR's Up To Date.
This fall, the Behavioral Health and Leadership Summit brought together more than 100 stakeholders from the Kansas City region to discuss ways to recruit and retain more individuals to the profession, including engaging with younger school-aged children to introduce them to the career, and non-traditional paths to certificates and licensure.
The summit plans to reconvene in spring 2024.
- Theresa Reyes-Cummings, deputy director, Community Mental Health Fund
- Sharon Freese, chief operating officer for behavioral health, University Health
- Mindy Klowden, managing director for behavioral Health, Third Horizon Strategies
