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UNC Sheps Center Releases New Report Providing Critical Data to Identify Gaps in North Carolina’s Mental Health and Substance Use Services Workforce

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 2, 2026

Cover page for a report titled "State of North Carolina's Mental Health and Substance Use Services Workforce: Need Supply, and Distribution Landscape Assessment" CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The UNC Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research has released the first comprehensive look at North Carolina’s mental health and substance use services workforce, offering critical data to guide statewide policy and planning.

Commissioned by the NC Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services (DMHDDSUS) and executed by the Behavioral Health Workforce Research Center within the Sheps Center, the report examines more than 20 types of behavioral health professions — from psychiatrists and psychologists to addiction counselors, speech language pathologists, and community health workers.

 

A Clearer Picture of a Growing Need

“Growing demand for mental health and substance use services is rising across the state, with millions of North Carolinians affected, and our workforce hasn’t kept pace,” said Dr. Brianna Lombardi, codirector of the Program on Health Workforce Research and Policy at the Sheps Center. “This report identifies not just gaps in traditionally recognized professions but also growth and distribution differences in emerging roles like peer support specialists and community health workers critical to delivering community-based, recovery-oriented care.

Key Findings

  • Demand is rising faster than the workforce. Most behavioral health professions grew from 2014 to 2024, but not enough to match population needs.
  • Graduate level clinicians make up the largest part of the workforce, with 30,804 professionals practicing in NC. They are led by clinical social workers and mental health counselors.
  • Access varies widely across the state.
    • Across almost all workforce categories, metropolitan counties have more providers compared to the population than rural counties.
    • Some rural counties are lacking critical groups, including child/adolescent psychiatrists or licensed psychologists.
    • Uneven distribution exists across every workforce category.

Why This Matters

“Strengthening the mental health workforce in North Carolina is critical as nearly every county has a provider shortage,” said NC Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai. “This report gives us the data we need to make strategic workforce investments to build a comprehensive mental health care system that supports a healthier and safer North Carolina for all.”

A Tool for Policy and Planning

The assessment compiles data from licensing boards, federal surveys, and national workforce databases. It includes maps and profiles showing where each profession is located, how occupations are credentialed, and who they serve. Findings align with Governor Stein’s recent Executive Order 33 and support efforts such as the Licensed Workforce Loan Repayment Program, launched in December 2025 to recruit and retain professionals in underserved areas.

About the UNC Collaboration

The Sheps Center is a national leader in health workforce research. Its Program on Health Workforce Research and Policy and the federally funded UNC Behavioral Health Workforce Research Center provide data and analysis to support evidence based policymaking in North Carolina and across the U.S.

Read the full report