Why Now is the Perfect Time to Pursue a Career in Youth Mental Health

A critical shortage of mental health care providers comes amid an increased demand for services

In recent years, experts have expressed concern about a decline in the mental health of teens and young adults, citing an uptick in anxiety and depression. And while the Centers for Disease Control recently offered some promising news that young people’s mental health is improving, it’s been a persistent concern for the past decade or so.

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, up to 1 in 5 children and adolescents aged 3 to 17 years in the United States reported having a mental, emotional, developmental or behavioral disorder, according to the CDC. But as demand grows for mental health care and services for young people, the U.S. is facing a critical shortage of mental health professionals, including school-based resources, such as counselors, psychologists and social workers.

This is an unfortunate reality, given school-based mental health services have been found to provide a host of benefits to students. From early identification of health issues to reduced barriers for students to access mental health services, these services create better mental health outcomes.

Have you ever considered a career focused on helping teens and young people thrive emotionally and socially? Employment growth in mental health fields is expected to increase by 12%, or three times the rate of all other jobs. And among certain subsets of mental health practitioners the growth is expected to be even higher. And, depending on the professional path you take, salaries can range from about $61,000 to $92,000.

If you think this may be the time to explore the possibility of entering the ranks of this much-needed profession, here are some questions (and answers) to determine if this is the right path for you.

What skills do I need to counsel young people?

Fundamentally, you need to have genuine interest in helping others to achieve their potential. This means helping them to learn and implement strategies and plans that will allow them to navigate life’s challenges and opportunities. Some other important skills include:

• Active listening
• Empathy
• Strong communication skills
• Problem-solving
• Collaborative spirit

What type of jobs are available?

As a school counselor, you might help students with social and behavioral challenges that are affecting their coursework, provide resources for learning, collaborate with teachers and staff to guide students to achieve academic and career goals and advise them on future goals and aspirations—such as career coaching and college advising.

Other members of a student support team might include a school psychologist. These professionals bring specialized knowledge to their work, including an expertise in mental health along with an understanding of an educational environment. They might help a family better understand a student’s learning and mental health needs or they might implement broader measures, such as policies and practices that create positive school environments and better assessments of diverse learning needs.

School social workers also help students with their academic, emotional and social needs through counseling, assessments and maintaining supportive school environments. They work with school administrators, students and families in establishing school policies, as well as providing mental health interventions and crisis management. They provide crucial support as part of an interdisciplinary team that works toward student success.

What education or training is necessary?

Depending on what path you take in the mental health field, licensing and credentialing requirements for the level of education, board certification and work experience that you need will be different. However, many mental-health care professions require advanced degrees and special training.

“Fieldwork experiences also are a fundamental part of school and mental health counseling training,” said Rebekah Reysen, Ph.D., who is a licensed clinical professional as well as a clinical assistant professor of clinical mental health counseling at Sacred Heart University. “The hours needed to fulfill practicum/internship requirements depends on the student's state, but participating in clinical experiences can help students practice their counseling skills with real clients while also receiving ongoing supervision and mentorship from site supervisors and faculty.”

What other types of work can I do in mental health?

The mental health field is a broad one, including psychiatrists, mental health counselors, therapists, clinical social workers and many others. Depending on your specialty, you may be diagnosing and treating patients with mental, emotional or behavioral disorders or helping students with their academic and personal development.

“At Sacred Heart, some of our students stay on as full-time employees at the sites where they obtain their clinical experiences,” Reysen said. “We have had a lot of success with our students receiving job offers after graduation or even prior to graduation.”

Interested in learning more?

At SHU, there are many programs that are preparing tomorrow’s mental health professionals to provide school communities with the care, expertise and resources needed for improved emotional, psychological, behavioral and social health.

You can explore the following programs:

• Ph.D. in Social Work
• Master of Social Work
• Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
• Master of Arts in School Counseling
• Bachelor’s-Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) 4+2 Dual Degree Program
• Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (as well as a minor in Social Work)
• Bachelor’s-Master of Social Work Dual Degree Program
• Certificate of Advanced Study in Play Therapy

If you are interested in SHU’s graduate programs, reach out to Keith Hassell at hassellk@sacredheart.edu or 203-365-4731.