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Hiring mental health professionals: Evidence from a large-scale policy in Brazil

Author

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  • Mrejen, Matías
  • Rocha, Rudi

Abstract

This paper evaluates the impact of a policy that promoted the hiring of mental health professionals in public healthcare services in Brazil by exploiting the staggered adoption of the program across municipalities. We find large positive effects on the employment of non-medical health professionals in healthcare facilities and on their production outputs, along with smaller effects on psychiatrist employment and dispensation of drugs. Lower scarcity of non-medical health professionals in the local labor market was associated with greater hiring effects, while substitution of incumbent workers and spillovers across health facilities, sectors and regions did not play any significant role. Despite hiring efforts, however, no significant impact is observed on related mortality, hospitalizations, or sick leave days. Results suggest an increased availability of employed skilled professionals might not be enough to curb more extreme adverse health outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Mrejen, Matías & Rocha, Rudi, 2025. "Hiring mental health professionals: Evidence from a large-scale policy in Brazil," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:labeco:v:94:y:2025:i:c:s0927537125000521
    DOI: 10.1016/j.labeco.2025.102728
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Healthcare workers; Skilled professionals; Mental health; Health outcomes;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I11 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Analysis of Health Care Markets
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • J44 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Professional Labor Markets and Occupations
    • J48 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Particular Labor Markets; Public Policy

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