(Radio Iowa) – Mental health experts say Iowa is facing a critical shortage of providers, especially during the stressful holiday season, though some patients are turning to telehealth for care.
Tarrah Holliday, a board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner, treats up to 30 patients daily at Zion Integrated Medical Services in Atlantic. Holliday says there are only about 300 psychiatry providers statewide, so wait lists can be three to six months. Holliday says 75-percent of her clients are turning to telehealth, and some even live three hours away. She says many patients feel more comfortable in their own environment and it’s extremely beneficial for them.
The I-S-U Extension reports Iowa is 45th in the nation for mental health care providers per capita.
