A Democratic group of senators recently detailed a discussion draft of legislation that seeks to expand the mental health workforce to provide care for those in need.
Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden (D-OR) recently joined Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-ID) and U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Steve Daines (R-MT) in outlining the proposed policies.
“There is an enormous need all across the country for mental and behavioral health care, but there aren’t nearly enough providers to meet that demand,” Wyden said. “These proposals are about training new providers and finding opportunities to do more with the mental health workforce we already have. Public-private partnerships are also going to be instrumental in solving this challenge by getting private contributions into the game and wringing more value out of taxpayer dollars.”
Wyden said in the following weeks and months, the panel would release drafts related to crisis care and mental health parity within federal programs.
Proposed policy provisions, per authorities, include adding 400 new physician residency positions funded by Medicare to teaching hospitals for training new physicians in psychiatry and psychiatry subspecialties; updating the Medicare guarantee by providing coverage of marriage and family therapist services and mental health counselor services for the first time under Part B of the Medicare program; and expanding access to certain clinical social worker services under the Medicare program.
“Maintaining a strong mental health workforce with the capacity to care for all who need services is crucial, particularly as health care professional burnout, steep regulatory demands, and other strains jeopardize long-term provider retention and capacity,” Crapo said. “By investing in our workforce, we can foster a more resilient, accessible mental health system.”