Maryland is facing a daunting shortfall of nearly 33,000 behavioral health workers over the next few years to keep the state fully staffed and fight off attrition.

The number comes from a report commissioned by the Maryland Health Care Commission and presented to the state’s Medicaid Advisory Board.

Maryland currently has about 35,000 behavioral health care workers, but is short about 18,200 of what is needed to meet that state’s needs.

Over the next few years, about 14,500 of those professionals will retire or leave their job, widening the gap as less people are entering the field.

“After COVID-19, degree completions in these fields at Maryland colleges and universities dropped significantly and still hasn't recovered,” said Andy Hall, president and CEO of Trailhead Strategies, the firm that conducted the study. “Not only did the pandemic impact the demand or the need for behavioral health services in the state of Maryland, which has been well documented, but it's also impacted the number of people who are completing relevant programs.”

Hall said the pipeline is being “crunched at both ends” as people retire and less new professionals enter the field.

Maryland needs therapists and counselors the most. The state will lack about 9,500 by 2028.

Maryland will also need about 8,000 social and human services assistants around 2,700 social workers and 269 psychiatrists.

The state is taking some steps to increase the workforce. The University of Maryland, Baltimore recently announced it will grant in-state tuition to Washington, D.C. residents seeking their Masters in Social Work.