The New York State Office of Mental Health on February 2 announced a statewide push to recruit and train the mental health workforce, opening a public survey to shape a new online resource that the agency said is part of a $2.5 million, multi-year initiative to draw New Yorkers into mental health careers and ease workforce shortages.
The office said the brief survey, released this week, will gather feedback from service providers and professionals to help design a website highlighting professions, programs and settings within New York’s public mental health system. According to the agency, the site will also include a job search feature intended to connect prospective workers with employers across the state.
“Our continued efforts to strengthen New York’s mental health care system depend on having a robust, skilled workforce at the ready,” Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said in the announcement. “The website we are developing with input from mental health professionals and service providers will offer an exciting presentation of careers in this field, along with a pathway for job seekers to connect with prospective employers in communities throughout our state.”
The office said the survey takes about 10 minutes and is aimed at determining which information mental health providers consider most useful. The agency said the resulting site will feature clear pathways to both licensed and unlicensed mental health careers, videos and stories from people already working in the field, and a job search that links users to openings by county and profession. The Office of Mental Health has also scheduled a webinar for Thursday, February 12, from 1 to 2 p.m. to explain the project.
The Office of Mental Health listed Justin Mason as the contact for the initiative, reachable at 518-474-7056. The agency distributed the announcement through its GovDelivery news service.
