A Fix for the Desperate Shortage of School Therapists

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School psychologist counseling young patients (illustrative purposes only). Photo: Shutterstock

A new Nevada law will allow college graduates with training and a relevant bachelor’s degree to practice as behavioral health specialists in schools, in pediatric clinics, and in after-school programs. It’s an early win for a grassroots movement that began in Oregon and is pushing for a new class of child-specialist behavioral health professionals, according to KLCC’s Tiffany Eckert.

The University of Oregon’s Ballmer Institute for Children’s Behavioral Health has been training undergraduates since 2022, at a time when rates of “anxiety, depression, acting out and suicidal behaviors” have soared, according to clinical psychologist Kate McLaughlin, the institute’s executive director. Undergraduates there learn to teach kids stress management and conflict resolution, among other skills. (MindSite News has covered social-emotional learning programs that use conflict resolution in schools in California, Michigan, New Hampshire and other places.)

“We know the shortage of providers is particularly acute in schools. School counselors, school psychologists, school social workers – these positions are often the first to get cut when schools face budget challenges,” said McLaughlin. The institute’s approach addresses that gap and allows highly trained psychologists to concentrate on kids who need more specialized care. Their first cohort will graduate next summer.

Licensing for positions like these happens at the state level – Nevada is the first state to adopt the Ballmer Institute’s program and pair it with a behavioral health specialist credential, but Oregon may not be far behind.

“Our vision has always been that the Ballmer Institute could serve as a national model for how we can expand the workforce,” McLaughlin said. “And what’s amazing is that in just a few short years, we’re already seeing that happen.”