Public and independent universities, as well as community colleges in ten regions, will be invited to participate as partners to increase the statewide impact. The BHWAC is charged with assessing the progress of recommendations from the Workforce Board’s previous assessments and updating policy recommendations. Following the 2020 assessment, the 2021 Washington State Legislature formalized the stakeholder workgroup that had informed previous iterations of policy and practice recommendations as the Behavioral Health Workforce Advisory Committee (BHWAC). This work was combined with two other research efforts done as part of a separate legislative proviso by the UW Center for Health Workforce Studies (UW CHWS) and Washington STEM to create a more complete picture for policymakers. Offer real-world experience and gain staff supports by providing work-based learning for students.
Clinical Trial Manager
By Van Ton-Quinlivan, CEO, Futuro Health Over the past five years at Futuro Health, I have watched thousands of our Scholars step into healthcare through allied health roles — Medical Futuro Health CEO Van Ton-Quinlivan is a nationally recognized expert in workforce development. By addressing the workforce shortage, we can improve access to care and enhance the well-being of individuals and communities. As we observe Mental Health Awareness Month, let’s shine a light on the critical need for more mental and behavioral health workers. Similarly, the California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI), is investing over $15.6 million in scholarships to support behavioral health students across the state and $120 million to create new Wellness Coach (Levels I and II) roles, initially supported through grants but intended to be reimbursable in the outyears.
Understanding the Workforce You Are Building
I have spotlighted this critical issue in my past blogs, sharing strategies in behavioral health workforce development aimed at reducing stigma and enhancing access to mental health services. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced $46.8 million in funding opportunities to bolster youth mental health, expand the behavioral health workforce, enhance access to culturally competent care nationwide, and strengthen peer recovery support. Funding is critical to support the development of comprehensive education and training programs for mental and behavioral health workers, ensuring they have the knowledge, skills, and How Right Now: Mental Health Resources competencies needed to provide effective care. States across the country recognize the opportunity to meaningfully expand access to behavioral health interventions via peer support specialists and are supporting the workforce growth as part of comprehensive workforce development strategies.
“Through the Center, we aim to assess current educational pathways and create additional training opportunities to develop a diverse behavioral health workforce that is distributed across the entire state.” It will begin with a $5 million annual investment from the Department of Human Services to help both rural and urban areas of our state address the behavioral healthcare crisis to increase access to effective services for all Illinoisans” This report included policy recommendations to address specific barriers to education, training, and retaining qualified behavioral health professionals. As Washington moves forward to achieve integration of its statewide physical and behavioral healthcare systems, demand for a qualified behavioral health workforce continues to grow. Our highly supportive education programs have enabled thousands of diverse Scholars to transition successfully into healthcare careers regardless of their educational background.
“So many in our state are suffering from mental health and behavioral health problems and access to care is often difficult to find,” said State Representative Anna Moeller, (D-Elgin). “The shortage of behavioral health workers needs to be met with a firm commitment to proactive education programs,” said State Representative Lakesia Collins, (D-Chicago). “This initiative will help grow the number of behavioral health emergency workers and provide people in our community with the support they need and deserve.”
- Funding is critical to support the development of comprehensive education and training programs for mental and behavioral health workers, ensuring they have the knowledge, skills, and competencies needed to provide effective care.
- UNC-BHWRC conducts comprehensive analyses of national workforce data to evaluate the adequacy, composition, and distribution of the workforce while exploring models of service delivery, particularly in underserved and rural areas.
- Prioritizing self-care and resilience benefits both professionals and their patients.
- Training programs should move beyond traditional didactic approaches and embrace experiential learning.
- Telehealth services, for example, have been instrumental in increasing access to care, particularly in rural areas where behavioral health professionals are scarce.
Illinois provides targeted metrics such as systematic tracking of the behavioral health workforce, identifying priority geographies and occupations for recruitment, assessing the credentialing and reimbursement processes, and monitoring behavioral health condition incidents to better estimate unmet needs. A growing number of states are establishing Behavioral Health Workforce Centers (BHWCs) to develop data-driven insights and strategies to address chronic behavioral health workforce shortages, geographic maldistribution, and gaps. Through collaboration, support, and shared solutions, the Alliance works to grow and sustain a diverse, resilient workforce prepared to meet the nation’s behavioral health needs. The Behavioral Health Workforce Center Alliance unites centers nationwide to exchange knowledge, address workforce challenges and successes, and drive innovation that strengthens behavioral health capacity. Together, we can build a stronger, more stable behavioral health workforce—one that’s equipped for the moment and the future.
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