KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – A report from the Mental Health Association of East Tennessee shows the pandemic has driven up the need for mental health services but has also driven clinical staffers to quit, making it more difficult for those who are seeking help here in East Tennessee to get it.

The mental health report also found there isn’t enough diversity of mental health professionals in Knoxville, with very few Black mental health professionals and Spanish-speaking professionals.

Ben Harrington, the CEO of the Mental Health Association of East Tennessee said Hispanic, Black and multiracial populations have experienced the highest rates of symptoms since the pandemic began.

Harrington said the surging demand for mental health care, and decrease in public and private access has created what he describes as the perfect storm.

”We know that less than 10 percent of our professionals in the community are actually taking new patients and that’s an indicator of how challenging things are for folks that are new to seeking help out. If they need help now they’re fewer people available,” shared Harrington.

Harrington said many public providers are leaving because of burn-out or to run their own private sector practice.

”The clinical staff turnover at those public sector providers like McNabb and Cherokee and Penisula about doubled and so that makes access and continued access and on-going care even more challenging because there are fewer professionals in that sector. That means there are fewer professionals that work in that sector. That means your ability to get a timely appointment to start care may be delayed, it also may mean that your ability to have a second appointment after the initial one is stretched out further because there’s not enough clinical staff,” explained Harrington.

The CEO also said the data in this report also shows that Knox county leads all other urban counties when it comes to the rate of suicide attempts or injuries causing people to go to the emergency room.

Harrington said statistics show 50% of all people with mental illness had their symptoms start by the age of 14.

This brings up another point within the report. Harrington said so far there is only one licensed social worker or counselor at each middle and high school in Knox county. He feels in order to provide the help people need in a timely manner, there need to be more licensed mental health professionals in Knox county.

“We have one licensed social worker or counselor at each middle and high school, but we likely need a lot more. The ratio should be one professional to 250 students. So if there’s a thousand young people in the building we need four mental health professionals to be there to provide mental health,” shared Harrington.

Even though there is a high demand for more mental health professionals in the area, Harrington said there are still helpful resources available.

He said you can always dial 9-1-1 but a new suicide call line will be activated this year. That number will be 9-8-8.

Here in Knoxville a McNabb Children’s and Family Crisis Walk-In center opened up last year. For more information about the clinic, click here.

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