A Staffing Model Based on Workload in Three VA Mental Health Clinics

In the era of managed care, agencies that provide mental health care can cope with the increasing volume of patients and the increasing severity of their conditions by having a variety of mental health professionals provide services. A model for determining workforce needs for outpatient mental health clinics is described. The model was used with workload data from three Veterans Affairs clinics to determine that two psychiatrists and five or six nonpsychiatrists should be able to evaluate 400 new patients a year and provide ongoing care for 2,300 patients a year in such settings. The method can be adapted to determine workforce needs for other outpatient clinical settings.