Unless more professionals enter the field of drug and alcohol dependence counseling in Ohio, the state will face a severe shortage of counselors within ten years, the Columbus Dispatch reported on July 18.

About half of Ohio's 6,000 existing counselors are expected to retire in the next decade. The average age among them is 50, and only one-quarter are under 40.

"It's an issue for all economies and workplaces," said Pat Bridgman, associate director of the Ohio Council of Behavioral Healthcare Providers. "There's just a lot more people who are over 45."

"We're looking at a critical manpower shortage coming up," said Brad Lander, clinical director of Ohio State University's Department of Addiction Medicine. Such a dearth could hinder patients' access to care.

Younger professionals may shy away from the underfunded counseling field because of its minimal pay, with salaries as low as $20,000.

The Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services and Ohio State University are sponsoring a four-day Addiction Studies Institute to address issues relevant to professional counselors, including the impending shortage. Over 900 physicians, nurses, psychologists and counselors will attend the conference.