Periodic tallies by regulatory boards: a vital tool for tracking supply in the psychology workforce

Regulatory boards in psychology and other mental health professions are in key positions to address workforce supply issues. Board data provide real time estimates of the growth within the health professions they regulate. The authors recommend that periodic tallies of the psychology workforce be undertaken through surveys of psychology boards. This will require that boards adopt efficient and standard methods for tracking licensees. Better data from boards would provide longitudinal and cross-jurisdictional comparisons that may enhance efforts to balance supply and demand in the professional workforce and the distribution of psychologists.