The Florida Center for Behavioral Health Workforce (FCBHW) at the University of South Florida has launched an interactive dashboard that projects behavioral health workforce supply and demand across Florida through 2035. The tool is designed to help policymakers, providers, educators, and advocates address a significant shortage of behavioral health professionals in the state. The launch comes ahead of Florida Behavioral Health Day on October 15, which highlights ongoing challenges in access to care and workforce preparation.
Julie Serovich, dean of the USF College of Behavioral and Community Sciences, emphasized the value of the new tool: “Florida now has a way to see not just where the workforce stands today, but where it’s headed,” she said. “This dashboard helps us anticipate challenges and gives leaders the evidence they need to strengthen the workforce across professions in meaningful ways.”
The dashboard provides insights at state, regional, and county levels for six licensed behavioral health professions: psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners, clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, and mental health counselors. Stakeholders can use it to identify gaps in professional coverage before they become crises and assess how policies impact access.
Courtney Whitt, PhD, executive director of FCBHW stated: “Now that we know the projected trends, our responsibility is to close the gaps. By growing, retaining, and innovating our workforce, we can bend these trends toward greater access and better outcomes.”
Recent data highlight Florida’s critical situation: according to Mental Health America’s 2024 report on State of Mental Health in America and information from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Florida has one of the highest rates of mental illness prevalence nationally while ranking among the lowest for behavioral health care access. The state currently has 219 federally designated mental health shortage areas—one of the highest numbers in the country—and existing workforce levels meet only about a quarter of estimated needs.
In 2024, USF received $5 million in recurring state funding to establish FCBHW as part of efforts to address these shortages. Dashboard data indicate that psychiatrists are particularly scarce; more than 40 percent are at or beyond retirement age with insufficient replacements entering practice. Geographic disparities also persist: some counties have no psychologists or psychiatric prescribers available locally.
Jacob Gray, lead statistician at FCBHW noted: “Developing projections like these is a complex task that many states continue to refine,” he said. “Florida’s approach offers a strong example for other states to learn from as they build their own models.”
FCBHW plans future expansions for its dashboard to include paraprofessionals and school-certified personnel serving within Florida.
The FCBHW was established by legislative action in July 2024 with a mission focused on strengthening Florida’s behavioral health workforce through research-driven solutions encompassing education and policy initiatives.
