Key Findings

The following key findings have important implications for social workers who work in behavioral health care settings and for the clients they serve.

1. Social workers in behavioral health represent the largest specialty sector within the frontline social work labor force.
2. The future sufficiency of a trained frontline labor force in behavioral health is a concern.
3. The social work profession needs to expand its recruitment and retention efforts to ensure a behavioral health workforce that is keeping pace with client diversity.
4. Behavioral health care social workers provide intensive services to clients with mental illness and substance use disorders.
5. Social workers in behavioral health care provide services in a range of private and public sectors, serving a broad cross-section of consumers.
6. Social workers in behavioral health organizations report workplace stressors that threaten the quality of care for those with mental health conditions and substance use disorders.

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