09/29/2025
Op-Ed: Reflecting on the Essential Role of PAs for World Mental Health Day 2025
World Mental Health Day is celebrated every year on October 10. The World Federation for Mental Health announced that the theme for 2025 highlights the critical need to prioritize mental health during humanitarian emergencies like natural disasters, conflicts, and health crises. These events cause widespread emotional distress, with 1 in 5 people developing a mental health condition. With over 123 million forcibly displaced people globally, there is an urgent need to invest in mental health and psychosocial support during emergency responses to save lives, strengthen communities, and build resilient health systems. Inclusive, accessible care should reach vulnerable groups like children, older adults, people with disabilities, and refugees, while overcoming barriers like stigma and cost.
The recent pandemic highlighted the critical role PAs play on the front lines of health crises. As health systems around the world were overwhelmed, PAs stepped up to fill urgent gaps in care. In many cases, PAs served as vital links between patients and healthcare systems, especially in underserved areas. The pandemic underscored the value of having flexible, well-trained clinicians who can rapidly respond to evolving public health needs, and PA contributions to health crises not only save lives but also demonstrate our role as essential components of a resilient and responsive healthcare workforce.
As PAs, we have all been trained in behavioral medicine, which equips us to recognize, assess, and manage common mental health and substance use disorders. Our training emphasizes the integration of mental and physical health, recognizing that emotional well-being is a fundamental component of overall health as psychological, social, and behavioral factors influence health outcomes.
As mental health challenges continue to rise, especially in the wake of crises like COVID-19, natural disasters, and humanitarian emergencies, there is an urgent need to expand the behavioral health workforce. Growing the number of PAs working in behavioral medicine can help meet this demand, particularly in primary care settings, rural areas, and underserved communities, where resources are often scarce.
Over 1.3 million adults in Ohio struggled with a substance use disorder, and approximately 2.1 million had a mental illness in 2023. 1.2 million of those with a mental health disorder did not receive treatment! Nationally, the number of PAs working in behavioral medicine continues to grow and PAs represent one of the fastest growing provider groups in Ohio. This is a pivotal time for the expansion of PAs in behavioral medicine to care for Ohioans with mental health and substance use disorders.
OAPA is working diligently to raise awareness of the impact PAs bring to providing behavioral health care across Ohio and recently spoke with key stakeholders including the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services about the importance of including PAs in initiatives to expand the behavioral workforce in Ohio. This included conversations centered on our history, education, scope of practice, and advocacy efforts to eliminate antiquated practice barriers to allow PAs to practice at the top of our license and fill these care gaps. Investing in more PAs in behavioral medicine not only increases access to care but also strengthens prevention efforts, improves patient outcomes, and supports the broader goals of integrated, patient-centered healthcare systems!
The World Federation for Mental Health created a toolkit for health care providers calling for the integration of mental health and psychosocial support into all emergency responses, using a layered, community-based approach. On World Mental Health Day, October 10, 2025, OAPA invites you to unite in intensifying our efforts to create a space where mental health is valued, protected, and accessible for all, especially as they face adversity. Use #WorldMentalHealthDay on social media to show your support for this important movement. If you are not a member of OAPA, please consider the impact your membership and voice has on our mission to provide quality, accessible, and cost-effective patient-centered care.
The OAPA wishes all of Ohio’s PAs a happy PA Week, October 6-12, 2025. Please join us in pursuing our vision to make Ohio the premier state for PA practice!
Michell McDiffett, MSHS, PA-C, is OAPA Public Relations Committee Chair and an OAPA Past President. She serves as Associate Medical Director, Residential Services and a Psychiatric PA-C for Signature Health, Inc. in Cleveland, OH.