Major Findings: 2021 Behavioral Health Workforce Survey

CARS partnered with Advocates for Human Potential (AHP) to lead the workforce assessment component of California’s Behavioral Health Workforce Development (BHWD) initiative, funded by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). Our goal was simple: ask the workforce directly about their experience, and use what we heard to shape real recommendations for the field.

More than 1,600 behavioral health workers responded to our Fall 2021 statewide survey, sharing details about their backgrounds, education, current roles, the communities they serve, and their use of telehealth. Because California was in the process of establishing Peer Specialist as a recognized provider type, we also held small-group listening sessions with representatives from 30 peer-run organizations across the state, to understand what that shift would mean for peer providers on the ground.

What We Heard

• Women lead this field. 64% of respondents identify as cisgender women.
• One in three respondents (32%) are Hispanic or Latino/a/e.
• This is a deeply experienced workforce. 76% hold a college or graduate degree, and 42% have worked in behavioral health for more than 10 years.
• Lived experience runs deep. 35% are family members or caregivers of someone with behavioral health needs, and 32% have navigated a personal mental health challenge themselves.
• Burnout is driving decisions. Pay, benefits, and time with family are increasingly shaping whether people stay in this work.

What We Recommend

Based on the survey and listening sessions, we identified seven recommendations for supporting and strengthening California’s behavioral health workforce:

1. Collect more nuanced workforce data to guide decision-making and policy.
2. Build and strengthen career pathways for providers who reflect the racial, ethnic, linguistic, and cultural diversity of the communities they serve.
3. Increase pay and benefits for the behavioral health workforce, and close the gap between peer and non-peer staff.
4. Address provider burnout and compassion fatigue, and support parents and caregivers.
5. Prioritize unserved, underserved, and inappropriately served communities through equity-driven strategies and wraparound supports.
6. Expand training and technical assistance to grow telehealth capacity.
7. Invest in training that supports peer integration, and elevate peer voice and leadership across the system.

Explore the Full Findings

You can access the full report, executive summary, and infographic here:

• [Download the Full Report]
• [Download the Executive Summary]
• [View the Infographic]

If your organization is navigating any of these same challenges, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out at carsinfo@cars-rp.org or start a conversation with our team.