Idaho Falls, Idaho • When Brett Nelson started at the Behavioral Health Center in 2002, he said the shortage of therapists in the state made it difficult for the center to ensure further treatment for patients after they left the facility. The 74-bed center hosts adolescent and adult patients for two-week stays of acute care and sees patients from across eastern Idaho as well as nearby sections of Wyoming, Montana and Utah.
The number of beds and counselors has increased over the years, but the shortage has been pushed to the next level of care: psychiatrists and psychologists, the Post Register reported.