Rise in Mental Illness and Substance Abuse Increases Social Service Demand

Alarming new figures point to an increase in mental illness and substance abuse in the U.S. For social service organizations already operating with limited resources, this may result in increased demand as well as greater risks.

Why Is There an Increase in Mental Illness and Substance Abuse?

Mental illness and substance abuse often go hand in hand. In some cases, people suffering from mental illness use drugs and alcohol as a way of self-medicating. In other cases, substance abuse triggers mental illness. Either way, it’s unsurprising that an increase in one often corresponds with an increase in the other, which is what appears to be happening now.

According to Medscape, there was an “alarming” increase in mental health hospital admissions involving methamphetamine use between 2008 and 2020. During this time, there was a 10-fold increase in this type of admission.

The events of 2020 made things worse for many people. The American Psychological Association says we are “a nation recovering from collective trauma” after the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, we are coping with the global conflicts, racial tensions, inflation, and climate-related disasters that have plagued the country. In the 2023 Stress in America survey, 24% of respondents said they have been diagnosed with anxiety disorder and 23% said they have been diagnosed with depression. Stress levels have also increased significantly. In 2019, 26% of respondents between the ages of 18 and 34 rated their average stress level as between eight and 10. In 2023, this increased to 34% of respondents.

The emergence of fentanyl (a potent, inexpensive, and addictive synthetic opioid) has been another major challenge. In the past decade, there has been a massive spike in overdose deaths, particularly overdoses involving fentanyl and other synthetic opioids other than methadone. According to the CDC, the overdose death rate involving synthetic opioids increased from 1.0 per 100,000 in 2013 to 22.7 per 100,000 in 2022.

The Impact on Demand for Social Services

As more people are struggling with addiction and mental illness, it’s logical that social service organizations providing mental health and substance abuse support may be seeing an increase in demand.

According to the BLS, community and social service occupations are expected to see strong employment demand throughout the next decade, especially for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors as well as for marriage and family therapists and community health workers.

Unfortunately, social service providers may have difficulty meeting this demand. The Columbia School of Social Work says there could be a deficit of 74,000 social workers each year for the next decade. Rural areas, in particular, are expected to suffer from a social worker shortage.

The Potential for Growing Risks

According to CBS News, a social worker in New York was beaten to death after knocking on the wrong door while trying to make a home visit. In another incident, WIVB News 4 Buffalo says an inmate attacked and attempted to sexually assault a social worker at a corrections facility in New York.

Unfortunately, these are just two of many examples of workplace assaults against social workers. OSHA says that workplace violence against healthcare and social service workers is a serious concern and that the rate of workplace violence in this sector is significantly higher than average.

The nature of their jobs means social workers are often exposed to violence and the threat of violence. Workers making home visits are in an especially vulnerable possible, but workers in facilities are also at risk. As addiction and mental illness rates increase, social workers may encounter a growing number of individuals with violent tendencies.

The rise in mental illness and substance abuse could also lead to increased risks for social workers. Plus, a lack of staffing may lead to increased risk exposures, if it results in less security personnel or reduced training.

Navigating the Evolving Landscape

As the rise in substance abuse and mental illness continues to increase demand for social services, organizations may need to adjust their strategies to meet this demand while controlling risks and protecting workers.

• Focus on hiring and retention. Since organizations will need ever more social workers, good hiring and retention strategies are a must. This may be a good time to revamp your recruitment efforts or offer additional employee benefits that reduce burnout and turnover.
• Provide adequate training. New workers will need training on how to deescalate tense situations and keep themselves safe. Existing employees may also need occasional refreshers.
• Prioritize safety. Your team members will not be able to help anyone if they are hurt. Safety must be a priority. See OSHA’s Guidelines for Preventing Workplace Violence for Healthcare and Social Service Workers for a thorough look at best practices and control measures.
• Review your insurance needs. A robust and specialized insurance program will help you respond to incidents and support your team.

Tangram offers insurance designed for social service programs, including workers’ compensation and workplace violence coverage. Learn more.