We plan to reopen shuttered units for the mentally ill
The Arizona Republic’s yearlong series on critical behavioral issues facing Arizona performed an important public service. We must not let the much-needed spotlight and debate fade.
The series revealed a litany of challenges but also remarkable developments, such as innovative programs to reach teens and young adults experiencing their first symptoms of psychosis through Valleywise Health’s First Episode Centers.
We’re also keeping persons with serious mental illness out of the hospital through our Assertive Community Treatment team and our less intensive outpatient clinic for individuals with these illnesses.
Yet the fact remains that Arizona, like many states, is facing a significant shortage of mental health professionals that is impacting residents’ access to care.
In addition to being a public teaching hospital and safety net system of care, Valleywise Health is one of the state’s largest providers of inpatient behavioral health treatment.
We’ve been serving those challenged by serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia since the early 1970s. Today, we have three psychiatric hospitals in Maricopa County with 411 total licensed beds.
We primarily treat those who need an involuntary court ordered mental health evaluation and/or ongoing involuntary treatment. They could be your neighbor, a co-worker or a family member — mental illness does not discriminate.
Because of chronic workforce shortages, we have been unable to staff all of the beds at our Maryvale Hospital since it opened in April 2019.
Today, we have 72 unused beds there that could be used to treat persons with the most severe mental illnesses, many of whom await help in overcrowded ERs.
The Republic did a good job of highlighting this workforce shortage, and it’s important that we keep this issue in the forefront as Arizona’s population grows.
As reporter Stephanie Innes noted, psychiatrists are in short supply across the U.S., and Arizona’s ratio of psychiatrists per resident is worse than the national average.
“The state has 947 active psychiatrists for a population of 7.3 million people, and national studies indicate the profession will undergo a wave of retirements in the next decade or so,” The Republic noted.
It’s not just psychiatrists — Valleywise Health and other behavioral health hospitals struggle to attract and retain qualified therapists, nurses and support staff.
The challenge is especially great in finding therapists of color and Spanishspeaking therapists for a diverse population.
We are making progress.
As The Republic noted, our integrated behavioral health program is led by José Luis Madera, a bilingual licensed professional counselor. He and his colleagues have done great work in recruiting a diverse group of counselors.
We’ve also mounted an
aggressive recruitment and retention campaign that includes sign-on bonuses for psychiatric nurses and technicians. Internally, we’ve launched a “grow your own” program that allows Valleywise Health employees to train to become psychiatric nurses while working full-time. We’re seeing results.
In September, we had 18 psychiatric RN vacancies, compared to 47 in August.
With these successes, our plan is to begin reopening the three shuttered units at our Maryvale hospital beginning in early 2024.
We’re also training new psychiatrists. Through the Creighton University Arizona Health Education Alliance, Valleywise Health has a psychiatric residency program that trains eight adult and four child psychiatrists who graduate every year.
Educating the next generation of health care professionals, especially with the growing demand for mental health services, is critical to improving the health of our community.
The Republic deserves credit for recognizing and educating our community on the needs of behavioral health.
It’s essential that we all work to reduce the stigma of asking for help. Valleywise Health is proud to be there to meet these needs.