By Ryan M. Burkhart

The U.S. is currently in the midst of a mental health crisis, and here in Colorado, more than 28% of residents live with a mental health condition. Unfortunately, a majority of Colorado residents are currently locked out of the state’s mental health care system due to a critical workforce shortage, in which our care networks cannot meet growing demand.

Behind these numbers are real people: a teenager waiting months for counseling after a suicide attempt; a parent rationing therapy sessions because their child’s provider no longer accepts insurance; a rural senior driving hours for an appointment. For too many Coloradans, the system fails at the very moment they reach out for help.

A just-released report by one of the nation’s leading mental health advocacy organizations, Inseparable, reveals the state of Colorado meets only 34% of its mental health workforce need, leaving many patients to seek more costly care out-of-network, or even forgo treatment entirely.

When timely care is out of reach, the consequences can cascade across families and communities, leading to job insecurity, housing displacement and increased physical health costs. This lack of timely care can also burden schools, law enforcement, emergency rooms and other public services statewide.

When care is delayed, mental health conditions can worsen. Anxiety can become a panic disorder. Depression can deepen into crisis. Substance use can escalate. Early intervention is not just clinically effective, it is cost effective too. Every barrier to access delays treatment and increases the likelihood individuals will require more intensive, more expensive and more disruptive care later.

Colorado’s workforce shortages are not inevitable. They are largely the result of burdensome requirements, misguided policies and insurance practices that make it difficult for mental health care professionals to both enter and stay in the field. State lawmakers must enact policies that build a strong workforce pipeline and support the state’s current mental health care professionals, which will expand mental health care access for all Coloradans.

A major problem contributing to our mental health workforce shortage is wage discrimination or a gross undervaluing of our mental health providers who are routinely paid less than their medical counterparts. Here in Colorado, for every dollar a physician assistant earns, a therapist earns only 74 cents. That wage gap — not to mention the sky-high education costs and unpaid clinical hours — steers health care professionals away from the field.

Fortunately, there are concrete policy steps Colorado can take to address the mental health workforce shortage. The same report that documents the severity of the problem also provides a roadmap for our policymakers. Among its many policy recommendations, it includes clear actionable ways to modernize training, streamline credentialing, remove financial barriers to entry and retention, and expand the spectrum of recognized providers.

I believe our legislature recognizes the severity of the mental health workforce shortage in our state and wants to do something about it. In fact, there is currently a bill before the state legislature that would make significant strides along these lines. This bill (HB 26-1002) would require insurers and Medicaid managed care plans to keep provider directories accurate, credential mental health and substance use disorder providers faster, and reimburse supervised pre-licensed providers — so more Coloradans can find and access in-network care. The bill has passed the House and is currently making its way through the Senate. I am optimistic it will pass and go to Gov. Jared Polis for signature.

Though HB 26-1002 is a critical piece of legislation that will make a significant difference for Coloradans, I want to make sure my representatives in the legislature are equipped with the full range of policy solutions available to us so I will send them a copy of this report. I encourage you to do the same. Currently, Colorado is leaving thousands of residents locked out of care systems. It does not have to be that way. We need sustained commitment from state leaders, and accountability from voters who understand mental health access is essential infrastructure, not an optional add-on.

The stakes are high: without decisive action, we risk further marginalizing vulnerable communities, exacerbating health disparities and allowing our state’s mental health crisis to deepen. It’s time for policymakers to act and build a stronger, more resilient mental health care workforce for all Coloradans. The choice is ours. Let’s make the right one.

Dr. Ryan M. Burkhart is executive director of the Counseling Association and dean of the School of Counseling at Colorado Christian University.