Aug. 9—WILKES-BARRE — Jill Avery-Stoss, president of The Institute, said this week that mental and behavioral health care is essential to the well-being of individuals and communities, yet there are many barriers to accessing this care.

According to Avery-Stoss, a growing need for service providers contributes to these challenges.

“The region faces persistent shortages in mental health and behavioral health professionals, especially in rural and underserved areas, making it difficult for many residents to get the help they need,” Avery-Stoss said. “Many communities outside the region face similar issues.”

Mental and behavioral health care are closely connected, but they each have different roles.

—Mental health services focus on diagnosing and treating specific mental illnesses like anxiety, depression, and mood disorders.

—Behavioral health care takes a broader approach, addressing habits and actions that affect someone’s emotional and physical well-being. This might include support for substance abuse, for example.

“Together, these two areas help people manage life’s challenges — whether they are coping with trauma, transitioning into adulthood, living with disabilities, or navigating periods of other types of stress,” Avery-Stoss said. “Without proper support, people struggling with mental or behavioral health issues may have trouble forming relationships, maintaining physical health, or succeeding at school or work.

For NEPA’s vulnerable populations, especially children and rural residents, Avery-Stoss said the challenges are even greater. She said many young people experience what are known as adverse childhood experiences — poverty, abuse, neglect, bullying, and food insecurity — which can increase the risk of long-term mental and behavioral health problems. These issues can carry into adulthood without early intervention.

“A number of factors contribute to the shortage of service providers,” added Avery-Stoss. “There is a high degree of burnout in the field. Some occupations lack livable wages. The number of people retiring or otherwise leaving the field is higher than the number of people entering. Demand for services has also risen considerably in recent years.”

Licensure processes can be complicated as well, and reimbursement rates for services are often too low to sustain enough professionals. The results include long wait times, confusion about where to seek help, and in many cases, people going without care altogether.

Avery-Stoss said several solutions may help close these gaps.

—Expanding telehealth services can help people in rural or remote areas connect with providers more easily. Increasing awareness of mental health career pathways — through schools, colleges, and job training programs — can grow the local workforce.

—Offering loan repayment programs and streamlining licensure across states can also attract more professionals to the field and keep them in the region.

—Community-wide efforts are also needed to address stigma and raise awareness. When more people understand what mental and behavioral health care is — and why it matters — they are more likely to seek help early and support others in doing the same.

“In short, mental and behavioral health services are not just about treating illness or responding to crisis-level circumstances,” Avery-Stoss said. “They are about creating strong, supportive communities that equip residents with the tools to manage stressors and therefore ease pressure on the system in the long term.”

Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.