Behind the Mental Health Crisis Are Healthcare Workers Who Are Also Struggling 

Across Massachusetts, behavioral health organizations are being asked to do more with less while carrying the emotional weight of communities in crisis. Many mental health and social service agencies in the state are now facing devastating funding cuts, layoffs, and program closures at a time when the need for care has never been greater.

Behind every housing program, crisis team, recovery center, residential facility, outreach initiative, and community support service are workers absorbing the heartbreak of this moment every single day.

At one large Massachusetts behavioral health organization serving thousands of vulnerable residents, that reality has become impossible to ignore. The organization provides behavioral health care, housing support, crisis services, recovery programming, HIV support, and community-based services for individuals facing homelessness, trauma, mental health challenges, substance use disorders, aging-related concerns, and serious medical conditions. Like many organizations across the Commonwealth, it is now being forced to make painful decisions because of growing state and federal funding instability.

During a recent conversation with GPS Group Peer Support CEO Liz Friedman, one senior leader described the enormous emotional toll these cuts are having across the workforce. The organization is preparing to lay off dozens of employees, resulting in thousands of vulnerable clients losing access to services.

The impact extends far beyond staffing numbers. Workers are grieving the loss of trusted colleagues, support systems, and relationships built over years of serving their communities. Leadership teams have found themselves overwhelmed emotionally as they navigate the reality of losing programs and staff while knowing community needs continue to grow.

At the same time, remaining staff continue supporting people through a range of challenges from homelessness, substance use disorder, violence, grief, severe mental health complications, housing instability, and medical vulnerability, all while facing mounting uncertainty themselves.

There is a growing sense of fear, exhaustion, and heartbreak spreading across both staff and communities as political and funding instability continues to threaten critical services. Many workers feel they can no longer provide the level of care and support they once could, despite their deep commitment to the people they serve.

For workers in residential and crisis settings, the emotional burden can be especially intense. Staff are often caring for residents with severe mental illness, chronic medical conditions, and end-of-life needs that many other facilities are unwilling or unable to accept. The emotional impact of losing clients can be devastating for workers who have spent months or years supporting them through some of the most difficult moments of their lives.

These stories reflect a growing reality across Massachusetts behavioral health care. Workers themselves are experiencing secondary trauma, grief, burnout, compassion fatigue, and emotional exhaustion while trying to continue caring for others.

And importantly, those struggles are not limited to clinicians.

Peer specialists, recovery coaches, housing workers, outreach teams, crisis staff, supervisors, administrative staff, and front desk workers are all carrying the emotional weight of these systems every day. In many organizations, support staff who are not traditionally viewed as “providers” still play critical roles in helping clients feel safe, connected, and cared for.

At a time when traditional systems are becoming increasingly strained, many organizations are recognizing that healing and resilience must happen in community. Workers need spaces where they can speak honestly about grief, fear, exhaustion, and heartbreak without judgment.

For organizations across Massachusetts facing impossible choices, this work is not theoretical. It is urgent. Staff are trying to care for their patients and clients while struggling to hold themselves together at the same time.

Increasingly, behavioral health leaders across the Commonwealth are acknowledging that supporting the emotional wellbeing of workers is no longer optional. It is essential to sustaining the systems and people communities rely on most.

Bring MASStrong to Your Workplace

GPS’s MASStrong program offers free GPS trainings, support groups, curriculums, and toolkits for Massachusetts medical, behavioral health, and community care workers and organizations. Eligible organizations can also apply for GPS partnership support and grants up to $10,000.