Start Your Path: How behavioral health careers support the community, while offering professional growth

Spokane is one of many cities across the country facing a significant shortage of behavioral health workers. Across the state, 1.4 million Washingtonians report experiencing mental illness and over 500,000 Washingtonians experience substance use disorder. The impacts of the pandemic, rise of social media, and fentanyl crisis have all led to increasing demand for mental health and substance use disorder services, making it increasingly difficult for the workforce to keep pace accordingly.

There is also another workforce gap that urgently needs to be addressed: people of color represent less than 20% of providers.

This shortage creates another barrier for patients who are seeking support from a provider with a shared cultural or ethnic background. Research also shows that increasing the availability of racially diverse providers leads to better outcomes for individuals.

For many, a career in behavioral health offers an opportunity to use skills and life experience to give back to the community. However, a common misconception is that a career in behavioral health requires an advanced degree or license. That actually isn’t the case, according to Todd Jensen, behavioral health workforce lead at Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA).

Behavioral health encompasses a wide range of services, including mental health promotion and treatment, substance use disorder prevention and treatment, and recovery support. And within those categories, there are many career opportunities, some of which don’t require a degree at all.

Jensen says these misconceptions are why HCA launched its “Start Your Path” campaign. “We need more Washingtonians to see behavioral health as a viable, long-term career path,” Jensen said. 

The campaign includes a quiz to break down several career options, and a careers website links to resources like financial assistance and apprenticeships. All campaign materials are also available in Spanish to ensure access to career resources.

One of the careers that is in high demand is a Peer Counselor, which relies on personal, lived experience with substance use disorder and mental health challenges to offer support – and most importantly, hope – to individuals in similar situations.

Becoming a Peer Counselor requires successfully completing an online course, 40 hours of specialized training (in 2025 this jumps to 80 hours) and passing a state oral and written test. However, no degree is required outside of these requirements.

For many, roles like Peer Counselor can be a starting step on the path to additional career opportunities. A Substance Use Disorder Professional, who provides assessment, treatment, and recovery services, requires a minimum of an Associate’s degree from one of the many programs offered through Washington’s community and technical colleges. Those who wish to pursue an advanced degree can complete a Master’s degree program and additional supervised hours to become a Licensed Mental Health Counselor.

Because there are options with low or no educational requirements, it’s also common for behavioral health workers to make a career transition as their second or even third career.

HCA wants students and jobseekers of all ages to know that if you are looking for an in-demand career where you can follow your passion for helping others, while working in a collaborative environment that offers professional growth, behavioral health may be the field for you.

“Ultimately what we want people to know is that your unique story and experience can make a difference every day,” Jensen said.