Lawmakers have introduced the Mental Health Workforce Act to address workforce shortages and expand diversity among mental health providers.
The bill aims to increase the number of providers and expand the pipeline of diverse professionals, according to a March 19 news release from the office of Rep. Troy Carter, D-La. It includes student loan forgiveness for individuals who attend Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Serving Institutions in exchange for a five-year service commitment after becoming licensed.
As part of the program, providers would be required to serve patients in health professional shortage areas. Federal data shows 92.3 million people lived in primary care health professional shortage areas as of Dec. 25.
The legislation also seeks to address disparities in access to mental healthcare. Data from the American Psychology Association shows psychologists were 85% white in 2011 and 80% white in 2021, the release said..
The bill is co-sponsored by Reps. Yvette Clarke, D-NY, Mike Turner, R-Ohio, and Rich McCormick, MD, R-Ga.
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