Local psychologist speaks on state medical provider shortage

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - North Dakota needs more doctors and mental health professionals.

Dr. Sara Kenney is a North Dakota native. She studied in California and then returned to the state, where she specializes in psychological care, chronic pain and hypermobility.

“I can make a bigger impact living in a state like this than you know if I was still living in maybe California, or if I lived somewhere else,” said Kenney.

She said that she came back to the state since her father made her aware of high depression rates among farmers. She stayed because she appreciated the close-knit community and developed a strong desire to serve an underserved community.

According to the North Dakota Monitor, by 2040, the state faces a projected shortage of 500 doctors, with 46 out of 53 counties federally designated as Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs). Kenney is concerned with what this means for mental health care, especially given rising suicide rates in the state.

“Mental health is health, and it impacts our overall health and impacts our physical health. That there are a lot of people that are disabled because of mental health concerns, and a lot of those times those mental health concerns are combined with physical health concerns, but we can’t just push everybody aside and minimize the importance of a huge amount of the population,” said Kenney.

She believes that the state could attract more providers like her by focusing on recruiting strategies, particularly in the mental health field. She also highlights loan repayment options for medical providers, which could help others build a connection with rural communities, as she did.

Kenney said that while she worked in Devil’s Lake, there were only three psychologists serving seven to eight counties.