SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — San Diego County will host a Behavioral Health Workforce Symposium on Tuesday to address “a significant behavioral health worker shortage.” Elected officials, regional behavioral leaders, educators and workers are expected to discuss and respond to recommendations, as well as discuss how to advance a regional strategy to retain the workforce needed to provide the “highest quality behavioral health services possible to San Diego residents.”
The symposium comes after a report said that San Diego County will need 18,500 more workers in the next five years.
The San Diego Workforce Partnership found the county needs 18,500 more workers hired by 2027 to account for population growth and replace those who leave the industry.
The county has 17,000 behavioral health professionals in the current workforce and needs an additional 8,100 just to keep up with today's demand.
CBS 8 asked an economist what could help spark a surge in hiring.
"If we can pay them well and give them a manageable workload we can become a destination place for people to come do this kind of work," said Karen Boyd, an economist with the San Diego Workforce Partnership.
The partnership says the county needs to bring on more community health workers, family therapists, substance abuse counselors and psychiatrists.
San Diego Workforce Partnership Chief Economist Daniel Enemark said these behavioral health occupations are often the first line of defense.
"Behavioral health services reach people when they're struggling with addiction or mental illness before they become homeless or become incarcerated," Enemark said.
The county is establishing a $128 million fund to help offer scholarships, loans and create a regional training center.
WATCH RELATED: Behavioral health worker shortage affects San Diego region and beyond