Legislation aims to spur training, education in effort to ease MN's mental health workforce 'crisis'

As with many other professions, mental health providers have experienced a workforce shortage due to the COVID-19 pandemic, made even worse by the increased need for their services the virus also brought about.

But, as the National Alliance on Mental Illness Minnesota noted in a report shared with the House Behavioral Health Policy Division Wednesday, there has almost always been a shortage of mental health professionals.

“The pandemic is resulting in increased numbers of children and adults struggling with their mental health, and the workforce shortages are causing our already fragile mental health system to collapse,” the authors wrote. They noted that about 50% of people who earn a master’s degree in one of the mental health professions don’t become licensed, often due the time and cost needed to obtain one.

Sponsored by Rep. Samantha Vang (DFL-Brooklyn Center), HF3418 would create several programs meant to spur training, education and encourage more people to enter the mental health field.

“Like everywhere else, we continue to face a mental health workforce crisis,” Vang said. “There simply aren’t enough people to carry out the treatment and services to meet the increased needs.”

Due to a technical amendment that was not filed in time to meet the division’s deadline, the bill was laid over. But Rep. Peter Fischer (DFL-Maplewood), the division chair, said a vote will be taken at next Wednesday’s regular meeting.

One provision of the bill would provide funds for mental health providers to supervise interns and clinical trainees and help pay for exams and licensing applications. Eligible providers would need to either primarily serve communities of color or underrepresented communities, or provide at least 25% of their services to state public program enrollees or patients receiving sliding fee discounts.

Another provision would include mental health professionals under an education loan forgiveness program for health professionals, provided they agree to provide up to 768 hours each year of clinical supervision in their designated field. And a third would help mental health providers provide tuition reimbursement for master’s level programs.

Sue Abderholden, NAMI Minnesota’s executive director, said a survey conducted by her organization found exam costs and paying for supervision were the two most common barriers that prevented graduates from becoming licensed.

“This bill does provide some concrete steps to help people get across the finish line and become licensed by providing free supervision … and by creating a path for people already working in the field to become a mental health professional,” Abderholden said.

Rep. Keith Franke (R-St. Paul Park) agreed on the bill’s importance, calling it “crucial,” but asked Vang why there is no Senate companion.

Vang said she has reached out to Sen. Paul Utke (R-Park Rapids), who chairs the Senate Human Services Licensing Committee, about a companion bill and pledged to continue working to improve the bill moving forward, including adding the specific appropriations needed “to make sure we can make a difference.”