Opinion: Should nurse practitioners do more? Yes because it will boost access to care

California has a severe shortage of mental health professionals. According to the Rural Health Information Hub in 2019, 49 out of California’s 58 counties have a deficit of providers. All around us, we see how people are suffering because of this shortfall. In San Diego, the rate of suicide among veterans and active-duty military is rising. And on our streets, we see the suffering from addiction and mental illness in our homeless population.