March 2021
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ABSTRACT: Mental health and substance use disorders (SUD) are among the leading causes of disability in the United States. Despite their prevalence, many people who require behavioral health services do not receive care, potentially due in part to behavioral health workforce shortages. Workforce shortages are projected to continue in coming years; therefore, it is critical to identify ways to more effectively use the workforce to increase access to care and better meet the needs of those with mental health disorders and SUD. Through a targeted environmental scan, interviews with subject matter experts, and virtual case studies, this project investigated promising behavioral health models to expand the delivery of services by, in part, reorganizing or transforming the behavioral health workforce, and the barriers and facilitators to their widespread adoption. The project focused on three promising models: (1) psychiatric mental health nurse; (2) behavioral health mobile applications; and (3) crisis services. Findings suggest that each of these models offer some potential for increased workforce efficiencies and--with changes to funding and other policies--could increase provider supply and access to more appropriate levels of care.
This report was prepared under contract #HHSP233201600021I between HHS's ASPE/BHDAP and Mathematica. For additional information about this subject, you can visit the BHDAP home page at https://aspe.hhs.gov/bhdap or contact the ASPE Project Officers, at HHS/ASPE/BHDAP, Room 424E, H.H. Humphrey Building, 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201; Judith.Dey@hhs.gov, Laura.Jacobus-Kantor@hhs.gov, Helen.Lamont@hhs.gov.
DISCLAIMER: The opinions and views expressed in this report are those of the authors. They do not reflect the views of the Department of Health and Human Services, the contractor or any other funding organization. This report was completed and submitted on September 10, 2020.