As predicted last year, behavioral health is quickly becoming one of the hottest fields in the already booming healthcare industry. This is largely due to the Affordable Care Act (ACA)’s initiative to extend mental health coverage and the subsequent influx of 62 million newly-insured Americans, which has resulted in a sudden strain on the current level of available behavioral health services. In addition, issues related to mental health are becoming more mainstream concerns than they once were, resulting in even more patients utilizing the mental health benefits in their healthcare plans.

To keep up with this demand, many healthcare facilities are now ramping up their hiring strategies for behavioral health professionals. The Execu|Search Group’s Health Services division has been observing exponential growth in hiring at all levels, within both healthcare and social work, from clinical to non-clinical roles. From physicians to paraprofessionals, behavioral health professionals are vital needs throughout the industry.

“We’ve seen a significant increase in the number employers looking for help with their open psychiatry searches,” says Barbara Tamberlane, The Execu|Search Group’s Managing Director of Physician Recruitment. “It’s not just major hospitals employing mental health practitioners anymore; all types of organizations are making a push to provide full-service care and incorporate mental health into their diagnostic, treatment, and referral plans.”

As a result, those with psychology, social work, or general behavioral health experience—even if it’s just a few months of indirect experience from a temporary assignment—should consider pursuing the field further and emphasizing this experience in an interview. “The need for professionals with these skills is so great that any prior work experience in the area can make a big difference in a candidate’s marketability,” says Amanda Bleakney, Senior Managing Director of The Execu|Search Group’s Health Services division. “For example, if you’re a Registered Nurse who’s had prior experience with the developmentally disabled population, it can be extremely helpful to mention this when on an interview to set yourself apart from other candidates.” Prior work with substance abuse can also be helpful, as many of the needs are located in underserved areas.

For those who have already specialized in the field and have been considering starting a job search, this is an excellent time to make a move. Specifically, our recruiters are noticing an influx in job orders for:

• Psychiatrists
• Nurse Practitioners
• Licensed Master Social Workers
• Licensed Clinical Social Workers
• Registered Nurses

Even paraprofessionals, who are hired by schools to work with children who possess a range of emotional or developmental issues, are now in high demand with any kind of related experience.

“Ultimately, there is a major push occurring to implement greater behavioral health services at many institutions,” says Barbara. “Jobs are opening up that haven’t been available before and progressive institutions are working to find unique ways to challenge talented people. It’s a good time to be in the behavioral health field.”