#Mentalhealthcare

A global shift in mental health care is reshaping how families access support, and Thai households are watching closely. As thousands of professionals pivot to therapy careers, Thai communities seek sustainable, culturally resonant ways to meet growing demand.

In the aftermath of the pandemic, interest in therapy careers has surged. Career counselors in major economies report many professionals leaving traditional roles to pursue training in mental health, driven by rising demand and a shift in attitudes toward meaningful work. Government labor data point to robust growth in counseling and family therapy roles, with projections showing steady expansion into the next decade. In particular, positions for marriage and family therapists are expected to rise well above average growth, signaling a shift in the healthcare landscape that could influence Thai access to mental health services.

The world is witnessing an unprecedented transformation in mental health care as thousands of professionals pivot to therapy careers. This global shift carries profound implications for Thai families seeking quality mental health support in an evolving healthcare landscape.

The Post-Pandemic Career Migration

Following the global pandemic, mental health careers have experienced extraordinary growth. Career counselors across major economies report a dramatic increase in professionals abandoning traditional paths to pursue therapy training. This trend reflects both rising demand for mental health services and changing attitudes toward meaningful work.

A surge of new therapists is reshaping how people seek help for mental health. This trend affects job markets, care access, and everyday conversations in Thailand and abroad.

More people choose therapy careers after the pandemic. The shift reflects higher demand for mental-health services and new work paths. ((WSJ: When Did All of These People Become Therapists?))

U.S. official forecasts show rapid growth in mental-health jobs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects strong growth for counselors and family therapists. ((BLS: Strong growth projected in mental health-related employment))

An intensifying mental health crisis among American youth has pushed hundreds of desperate parents to an agonizing decision: relinquishing custody of their own children to the state, simply to obtain the urgent, specialized mental health care unavailable to them otherwise. Recent stories brought to light by USA TODAY, including the harrowing experience of Nina Richtman in Iowa, highlight not only immense personal suffering but also systemic gaps in health and social support across the United States, reverberating with important lessons for Thai families, policymakers, and healthcare providers alike (USA TODAY 2025).

A bold expansion of Ohio’s Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS) brings immediate mental health support to young people in crisis everywhere in the state. Governor Mike DeWine announced the statewide rollout at Hopewell Elementary School, stressing the urgency of delivering swift help to children and adolescents in distress. He described MRSS as a crucial tool for rapid, effective crisis response that protects and empowers youth.

MRSS has already been piloted in fifty counties and sends trained clinicians to the crisis site—whether at home, school, or a playground—within 60 minutes of a call to Ohio’s 988 Suicide and Crisis Hotline. The approach provides crisis stabilization, on-site counseling, and the creation of a care plan in coordination with the youth’s support network. Hopewell Elementary’s principal, Susann Wittig, recalled a recent incident where clinicians arrived within the hour and collaborated with the student, family, and school to outline services and ongoing care. The expansion is supported by a coalition of twelve service providers across Ohio to ensure rapid coverage statewide.

In a bold move to address the growing mental health needs among young people, Ohio has announced the statewide expansion of its Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS) program, bringing rapid, on-the-ground mental health support to youth in crisis across all 88 counties. Governor Mike DeWine made the announcement at Hopewell Elementary School in Dublin City Schools, highlighting the urgency of providing immediate help to children and adolescents experiencing mental, emotional, or behavioral distress. “MRSS is one of the most important tools we have at our disposal to respond quickly and effectively when a child is experiencing a crisis,” Governor DeWine explained, underscoring the initiative’s potential to protect and empower the state’s youth population (10tv.com).

A growing crisis in youth mental health in the United States has driven hundreds of parents to make an agonizing choice: surrender custody to the state in hopes of securing urgent, specialized care their families cannot access otherwise. National reporting highlights cases like Nina Richtman’s in Iowa, revealing deep systemic gaps in health, social support, and child welfare that resonate with Thai families, policymakers, and healthcare providers seeking better outcomes at home.

A gripping investigation into the cycle many patients experience—repeated hospitalizations, homelessness, and short-term fixes—spotlights the plight of those with serious mental illness. The telltale story centers on Adam Aurand, a mechanic diagnosed with multiple mental health disorders, whose life reflects systemic gaps in care. While the narrative comes from a Reveal News podcast, its lessons echo in Thailand, where similar barriers hinder lasting recovery.

Aurand’s experience shows how the churn unfolds: individuals circulate through clinics, shelters, and hospitals without a sustained, personalized plan. His struggles with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and schizoaffective disorder were compounded by substance use and gaps in follow-up care, ultimately contributing to his death by overdose soon after discharge. This pattern is not unique and points to broader health system weaknesses.

In a sobering exploration of the cyclical plight faced by individuals with serious mental illness, a recent report delves into the story of Adam Aurand, a mechanic diagnosed with multiple mental health disorders, whose journey highlights systemic failures in mental health care. This narrative, detailed in a Reveal News podcast, offers insights that resonate globally, including in Thailand, where similar structural issues impede effective mental health care.

Adam Aurand’s life was marred by a repeated cycle of institutionalization, homelessness, and inadequate care — a phenomenon known as “the churn.” This occurs when individuals with serious mental conditions repeatedly pass through various care systems without receiving long-term solutions. In Adam’s case, his battles with mental disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and schizoaffective disorder were compounded by substance abuse and inadequate mental health support, which ultimately led to his tragic death from a drug overdose shortly after being discharged from a psychiatric hospital.