HealthLinksSC.com | 95 LACK OF MENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONERS AND ESCALATING NEED Lack of Mental Health Practitioners and Escalating Need South Carolina, like many states, has been hard hit by a lack of psychiatric/mental health practitioners in rural, underserved areas at a time when there is an escalating need. Wait times to see a mental health care provider can be eight to 12 weeks long for an appointment, according to MUSC College of Nursing faculty member Dr. Joy Lauerer. “Fifty percent of those who need mental health care in rural areas will never get the help they need,” Dr. Lauerer added. “And suicide rates among young adults are also rising.” Statistics shared by the American Academy of Pediatrics and ruralminds.org confirm that: Compared with their urban counterparts, rural Americans have a higher rate of depression; and suicide rates of people living in rural counties are 64-68% higher than those living in urban areas. • 65% of rural counties do not have a psychiatrist. • Rural areas have 20% fewer primary care providers than urban areas. • 95% of rural counties do not have a child psychiatrist. • 81% of rural counties do not have a psychiatric nurse practitioner. Dr. Lauerer and her colleague, Dr. Hannah Robidoux, were awarded a $1.2 million Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grant to prepare psychiatric health nurse practitioner students at MUSC College of Nursing to care for children, adolescents and young adults in rural and underserved areas. approach to nursing,” Roseau said. “They can relate to us and teach us using their nursing experiences, and they have an open-door policy.” Roseau’s commitment to heal and her passion to serve others is equally firm. “I chose to go back to school to become a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner because of the rise in mental health crises in the United States, specifically in disadvantaged populations,” she said. “Now I know that I can continue to help those disadvantaged from access to proper mental health care.” Photo by Josh Goodwin-MUSC Dr. Joy Lauerer with student.
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