Alarmingly, a recent survey found that white clients are over three times more likely to find a mental health therapist who looks like them – in the 45 largest American cities, the ratio of white people to white therapists is 307:1, while the ratio for BIPOC people to therapists is 1002:1. [1]
Unfortunately, this disparity highlights the ongoing shortage of BIPOC therapists, a gap that not only affects the accessibility of good mental health care for BIPOC clients, but also highlights the systemic barriers that have historically prevented BIPOC individuals from entering the mental health field.
In today’s blog, I’ll address the BIPOC therapist shortage that’s plaguing the nation and how DEIB efforts at your behavioral health organization can help address this important issue.
What’s causing the BIPOC therapist shortage?
The BIPOC therapist shortage has complex causes. To understand it, we need to look at how systemic racism has placed obstacles on every step of the path to becoming a therapist – which understandably deters many BIPOC from entering the profession.
- Hostile and exclusionary educational environments: It is well-documented that many university campuses discriminate against BIPOC individuals. Not only is it often more challenging for BIPOC students to gain acceptance into certain institutions, but even when they do, they may encounter hostile environments filled with microaggressions and other forms of racism. These unsafe environments hinder the learning experience for BIPOC students and make it more difficult for them to network and succeed.
- Lack of representation in the field: The lack of BIPOC representation in the mental health field may also cause a self-perpetuating cycle. BIPOC may gravitate toward fields of study where they’re more represented or where they’re able to build larger networks of people who look like them. Because of this, the next generation of BIPOC students continues to experience a lack of representation, which may deter them from entering the mental health profession as well.
- Lack of mentorship: Similarly because there is already a BIPOC therapist shortage, new BIPOC therapists entering the field may lack mentors and supervisors who share their racial identity and can be a guiding presence as they navigate the initial stages of their careers. Good supervision is critical to a successful career in mental health, and the lack of it may cause BIPOC therapists to burn out and leave the field.
- Too much pressure on BIPOC therapists: Because there is such a significant lack of BIPOC therapists in most cities, the BIPOC therapists who do exist are often in high demand. While this is generally a positive, many BIPOC therapists may feel overwhelmed with the pressure of having to meet this demand alone.
- Financial difficulties: The history of institutional racism in the United States has affected the financial security of many BIPOC, who are more likely to live in poverty. These financial difficulties can make it more difficult to get the student loans and resources needed to be able to attend graduate school, which is frequently prohibitively costly.
- Biased licensure exams: Mental health professionals need to meet a series of requirements to gain licensure, including passing an exam. Standardized exams have been proven to be biased, and many of the questions are simply not culturally appropriate for non-white people. For example, one study found that nearly 90% of white psychology aspirants passed the exam, while only 70% of BIPOC aspirants did. [3] This discrepancy shines a light on the biased nature of these standardized exams, which have a history of excluding BIPOC.
How behavioral health organizations can implement DEIB strategies to support BIPOC therapists
Although we have a long way to go when it comes to leveling the playing field for BIPOC therapists, implementing effective DEIB strategies at your mental health organization can help. Through effective DEIB programs and policies, your organization can not only recruit BIPOC therapists but also create an inclusive and supportive environment for them once they’re there.
Here are some strategies that your behavioral health organization can consider.
Create mentorship programs for BIPOC students and new therapists
Mentorship programs created specifically for BIPOC professionals can play a crucial role in addressing the therapist shortage. When aspiring BIPOC therapists have mentors who look like them and understand their unique experiences and challenges, they’re more likely to feel supported and encouraged to pursue a career in mental health.
Consider implementing a BIPOC mentorship program for graduate students in practicum and new therapists who join your organization. When they’re designed specifically to support their needs, these programs can help aspiring BIPOC therapists navigate the complexities of graduate school, licensure, and early career challenges, and provide them with the tools and confidence to succeed.
By connecting aspiring therapists with seasoned professionals who share their racial identity, we can create a more inclusive and supportive pipeline into the mental health profession for diverse professionals.
Establish Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)
Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) have been successful in many workplaces as a way to support underrepresented employees, but we don’t often see them being implemented in mental health settings. ERGs can be an important space for BIPOC therapists to connect, share experiences, and build a supportive community. BIPOC therapists may also be more likely to join your organization when they know there are safe places for them there.
These groups can also advocate for institutional changes that address the specific needs and challenges of BIPOC therapists and clients. ERGs can foster a sense of belonging, provide a platform for collective action – and, ideally, reduce the feelings of isolation that many BIPOC therapists experience.
Remember, participation in any ERG should be optional for all employees. Never force BIPOC therapists to join these groups.
Implementing DEIB training for faculty and staff
For DEIB efforts to be truly effective, it’s critical that the leaders at your mental health organization are also engaged in these initiatives. DEIB training can help clinical supervisors, executives, HR, and other workplace leaders recognize and address their biases, create more inclusive environments, and become better able to support BIPOC therapists who join your organization.
When every staff member – especially those in power – is committed to DEIB principles, it creates a more welcoming and supportive environment for BIPOC graduate students and therapists. Moreover, DEIB training helps every employee develop self-awareness about their own cultural background and privileges, and how these parts of their identity might affect their work as a therapist.
Reexamine hiring practices
One reason that your organization may be lacking in BIPOC therapists could be because of implicit biases in the recruitment and hiring process. Even though HR, supervisors, and other people involved in this process don’t believe themselves to hold discriminatory views, it’s likely that they do hold some implicit biases that they’re not even aware of.
For example, candidates with more “white-sounding” names are more likely to be contacted for an interview, even when qualifications are the same. Recruiters may be more likely to seek candidates from certain universities which tend to have lower shares of BIPOC students.
Because of this, it’s essential to reexamine your hiring practices and train every person involved to become aware of how their unconscious biases might come up when reviewing candidates. In addition, consider changing your actual hiring policies — for example, are there requirements that inadvertently make it more difficult for BIPOC to apply? Are your job posts and descriptions culturally relevant to everyone?
Promote BIPOC therapists to leadership positions
When aspiring therapists enter your organization, they need to see BIPOC individuals represented not only in the direct-line staff, but in executive and leadership positions as well.
Often, organizations claim to have a “diverse” workforce – but when examining the facts, it becomes clear that BIPOC are only represented in certain roles – unfortunately, these often end up being the lowest-paid roles. But in executive positions, BIPOC individuals are rarely represented – especially in behavioral health organizations.
To recruit and retain BIPOC therapists, it is important for them to see that there is a clear path to career progression within your organization – not just for white people, but for people who look like them. BIPOC leaders can also serve as mentors for newer therapists who may want to move into executive roles in the future.
Takeaway
The disparities in the numbers of white vs. BIPOC therapists are a reflection of the systemic racism and obstacles that prevent many BIPOC professionals from feeling welcomed to the profession in the first place – and being set up to succeed when they do join. Unfortunately, this affects mental health outcomes for all BIPOC clients who, in many cities, may be unable to find a therapist who shares their cultural background.
As leaders in behavioral health organizations, we must implement effective DEIB strategies to create safer, more inclusive environments for BIPOC therapists and encourage them to enter – and stay in – the field. We need them now, more than ever.
