The demand for mental health and substance use services is unrelenting, as nearly 1-in-4 U.S. adults report experiencing a mental health condition each year. Unfortunately, the availability of treatment has not kept up, leaving many without access to the care they need to thrive. In the last year, only half of adults in need of mental health services accessed them, and youth experiencing mental health challenges, fared even worse - with only 43.9% receiving treatment in the past year. Further, over three-quarters (76,9%) of adults in need of support for a substance use disorder did not receive any treatment. [i],[ii]

View the Completed Economic Impact Brief

Ohio's behavioral health crisis is more than a public health challenge - it is an economic emergency. Demand for behavioral health (BH) services has never been higher, with nearly one-in-four U.S. adults experiencing a mental health condition in 2023 and adolescent anxiety and depression soaring. Yet, Ohio's BH workforce is shrinking, as stagnant wages, funding shortfalls, and limited career pathways leave current workers underpaid, undervalued, and overburdened - driving record turnover and deterring new professionals from entering the field. [i]

View the Completed Workforce Crisis Report

The 2025 School-Based Behavioral Health Services Survey highlight the continued expansion and critical role of community behavioral health partnerships in Ohio schools. During the 2024-2025 academic year, providers delivered services in 3,850 school buildings across 692 school districts, charter schools, and ESCs - a 231.9% increase since 2016. These services include clinical treatment, prevention, crisis intervention, and family engagement, reaching students at a time when youth mental health needs are at an all-time high. Despite these gains, workforce shortages, salary-driven attrition, and infrastructure barriers - particularly related to telehealth - threaten sustainability. This report calls for strategic investments in local provider capacity, non-clinical service funding, school-based telehealth infrastructure, and workforce development to ensure that every Ohio student has access to the care they need to thrive.

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The Ohio Council's 2024 Compensation & Benefits Survey Report!

The 2024 report covers Employee Benefits, HR Practices, Turnover, Line and Management Compensation, and a comparison of in-demand jobs in Ohio across health, social services, and competing industries.

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The OC-PAC is funded by the personal donations (personal checks or personal credit card payment by using the link below) of individuals who are associated with or employed by members of the Ohio Council.

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