Virginia data reveals severe shortage of child, adolescent psychiatrists

Abstract

There is a significant shortage of practicing child and adolescent psychiatrists, or CAPs, across the United States, according to data from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), the online news agency, Virginia Mercury, reported Dec. 4. The AACAP data classified states into four groups: states with a sufficient supply of CAPs, those with a high shortage, those with a a severe shortage, and those states with no CAPs. Virginia is in a severe shortage, with just 264 CAPs in the state as of 2019, the most recent data available. That means on average there are 14 CAPs available per 100,000 children in Virginia, which is also the national average. The academy defines a “mostly sufficient supply” as more than 47 per 100,000 children. Nationwide, few counties meet that standard. The Virginia Mental Health Access Program, or VMAP, and oversees the work of all child psychiatrists involved in the program. VMAP is a statewide initiative that strives to give kids greater mental health access by teaching pediatricians to function like psychiatrists. Pediatricians are taught how to screen, diagnose, manage and treat mental health in children. More than $12 million was allocated for child psychiatry and children's crisis response services to be divided throughout the state based on current services already offered. The funds can be used to hire or contract child psychiatrists to provide clinical services, or to train. Mental health advocates have said the budget makes “significant investments” in mental health services across the state.