You Can Help Solve the Behavioral Health Workforce Crisis in Oklahoma

You Can Help Solve the Behavioral Health Workforce Crisis in Oklahoma and Beyond

For years, we have sounded the alarm on the urgent need to grow the mental health and substance use treatment workforce. TODAY you have a chance to do something about it. Join the National Council for Mental Wellbeing as part of Hill Day at Home 2023 and write to your congressperson in support of the Improving Access to Mental Health Act (H.R. 1638 / S. 838) and the Mental Health Professionals Workforce Shortage Loan Repayment Act (H.R. 4933/ S. 462).

What is H.R. 1638, the Improving Access to Mental Health Act?

• Bolsters recruitment and retention of providers in the Medicare workforce by increasing reimbursement levels for Clinical Social Workers.
• Expands treatment options for Medicare beneficiaries seeking access to care by allowing Clinical Social Workers to provide psychosocial services to patients in skilled nursing facilities and provide the full range of Health and Behavior Assessment and Intervention (HBAI) services within their scope of practice.

What is H.R. 4933, the Mental Health Professionals Workforce Shortage Loan Repayment Act? 

• Reauthorizes and expands the Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program (STAR LRP), providing funding for the program through 2032 at increased funding levels.
• Makes mental health care providers eligible for loan forgiveness under the Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program.
• Provides up to $250,000 in loan repayment for providers who work in mental health professional shortage areas for up to six years.

How has the Behavioral Health Workforce Shortage impacted you?

You don’t have to work in the field to experience the effects of the mental health and substance use workforce shortage. You or someone you know may be unable to access life-saving care because the workforce is stretched too thin and there are simply not enough providers to accommodate the increased demand for care. These two legislative proposals will help to address the workforce shortage by bringing increased access to mental health and substance use treatment providers and organizations under the Medicare program and incentivizing providers to work in mental health professional shortage areas. If you have a personal story to share, please add it to your letter and give your advocacy a personal touch!