Here’s the good news: more people in the Chicago, Illinois area are seeking out treatment for their mental health problems than ever before. Now, here’s the bad: there are not nearly enough psychiatrists to meet the demand. And it’s getting worse.
Nearly 3 million people reside in the third largest US city and almost 10 million live in the larger metro area. Unfortunately, this problem of supply not meeting demand is typical of the mental health environment across the whole of America.
Fortunately, according to the this article in the Chicago Tribune, help may be on the way,
The silver lining is that more incoming medical school students intend to pursue careers in psychiatry than ever before and the state has passed legislation that would provide specialized training and broader credentialing for licensed clinical psychologists that will grant them prescription medication privileges.
Advances such as these are certainly not going to solve the access problem on their own, but they are significant steps in the right direction.
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