Task Sharing to Expand Access to Care: Development of a Behavioral Health Support Specialist

Abstract

Task sharing improves access to mental health care in many countries, but little formative research has examined uptake in the United States. This Open Forum proposes the development of nonspecialist professional roles to deliver low-intensity behavioral interventions for common mental health conditions in U.S. settings such as primary care. Using data from a multilevel stakeholder assessment, the authors discuss findings and challenges associated with such a role. Key themes from stakeholder surveys concerned scope of practice, competencies, pragmatic concerns, and training needs. Although stakeholders generally found this role to be acceptable and feasible, the themes raised will be critical to developing and implementing such a role.

Training lay counselors, such as our proposed bachelor’s-level BHSS, to deliver low-intensity psychological treatments for common mental health conditions may be an acceptable and feasible way to expand care in the United States.

Citation

Renn, B. N., Casey, C., Raue, P. J., Areán, P. A., & Ratzliff, A. (2023). Task Sharing to Expand Access to Care: Development of a Behavioral Health Support Specialist. Psychiatric Services (Washington, D.C.), 74(1), 76–78. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.202100500