Behavioral Health - Workforce

Project Description

In Harris County, the need for mental health and substance use services is greater than our existing behavioral health workforce can provide. It was reported that in 2018, there was one provider for every 920 residents in Harris County. This imbalance became greater during the pandemic, which also highlighted the need for practitioners skilled in navigating trauma and grief. Additionally, the current behavioral health workforce does not reflect the racial, cultural, and linguistic diversity of our region.

The Behavioral Health Workforce program is designated to expand the supply of qualified behavioral health providers and further develop current practitioners, increase the number of culturally and linguistically competent providers, and expand access to care. Initiatives address the full lifecycle of workforce development, from educating high school students about behavioral health careers and providing externship opportunities, to providing scholarships for college and graduate students, supporting licensing costs, and offering ongoing training. Providing school- and community-based clinicians with education about trauma- and grief-informed practices further enhances our ability to meet community needs.

  • The Network of Behavioral Health Providers (NBHP) - provides incentive payments, stipends and training opportunities to clinicians and community health workers to improve staff retention, develops a pipeline of educational and experiential opportunities, provides scholarships for students, and offers outcomes-based reimbursements for community health workers.
  • Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute (MMHPI), with support from the Lucine Center, trains community- and school-based clinicians on evidence-based assessment and treatment protocols for students impacted by grief and/or bereavement. provides trauma and grief informed trainings to community members.
  • The Montrose Center provides development opportunities, recruiting and retention incentives for licensed therapists, and training in advanced marriage and family therapy practices.

PRIMARY PARTNERSHIPS

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

NBHP, MMHPI, and the Montrose Center outreach strategies aim to reach Behavioral Health professionals, school districts, community colleges, pediatricians, and caregivers of trauma and/or bereavement-exposed youth in target neighborhoods through: 

  • Partnerships with local community-based and service-oriented organizations 
  • Direct outreach via email to professional and membership organizations 
  • Targeted digital advertising and social media promotion 
  • In-person presentations at high schools and colleges 
  • Participation in internship and lead job fairs 

TARGET IMPACT

Target Goals include:

  • Increase the number of behavioral health professionals trained in trauma and grief-informed practices 
  • Provide incentive programs for the recruitment and retention of behavioral health workforce 
  • Create internship and career progression opportunities  

USE OF EVIDENCE & PROGRAM EVALUATIONS

The availability of a well-trained behavioral health workforce is a significant factor affecting an individual's ability to access high-quality care. In 2018, there was one provider for every 920 residents, which is less than half the national average of one provider per 426 residents. Because of this, Harris County is designated as a Partial Mental Health Professional Shortage Area. 

NBHP aims to eliminate this shortage by increasing educational and experiential learning opportunities, expanding internship and scholarship opportunities, increasing the number of individuals with lived experience obtaining certification or licensure, and improving recruitment and retention of behavioral health professionals through projects with 23 qualified member organizations. To assess the impact of their projects, NBHP will track data regarding the education, recruitment, retention, and development of the behavioral health workforce. 

MMHPI is implementing a system-wide, evidence-based program through its Trauma and Grief Center (TAG) and multiple community-based partnerships. Supported by the Lucine Center, MMHPI is training community- and school-based behavioral health workers in Trauma and Grief Component Therapy (TGCT), an evidence- based, assessment-driven treatment for youth whose histories of exposure to trauma and/or loss place them at high risk for persisting distress and developmental disruption. To evaluate this program, MMHPI examines clinician-reported evaluations, the number of participating clinicians, rates of treatment completion, potential disparities, the number of individuals trained, and the number of youths referred, among other metrics.

PHOTOS