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Bill would pair targeted payments, apprenticeships and grants to shore up behavioral health workforce
Summary
Representative Rob Nos presented House Bill 20 24, a workforce package that would fund apprenticeship programs, a targeted reimbursement incentive for high‑acuity workers, and grant funds for housing/childcare/tuition to recruit and retain behavioral health staff serving Medicaid and high‑need populations.
Representative Rob Noss described House Bill 20 24 as a three‑part approach to recruit and retain behavioral health workers: (1) $5 million to the United We Heal Labor‑Management Trust for apprenticeships and training, (2) $20 million in a targeted reimbursement increase (a payment incentive) for workers providing high‑acuity care and (3) $20 million for a workforce incentive grant program (housing, childcare, tuition assistance and retention supports).
Noss said the 2022 30% rate increases helped fill many positions but vacancy rates remain high — a 17% statewide vacancy rate and nearly 29% in crisis teams were cited in committee testimony. He told the committee that targeted incentives should be additive, focused on providers who primarily serve Medicaid populations and work with the most acute patients.
Union and provider witnesses supported the package. Porter Clements, president of AFSCME Local 1790 and an OHP navigator, said chronic understaffing and low pay force staff to choose safer, higher‑paying jobs, sometimes at the cost of client continuity. “We want to be doing this work,” Clements said, adding that wage increases and retention bonuses are essential to keep frontline staff in place. United We Heal and apprenticeship participants said apprenticeships reduce time and cost compared with traditional degrees and help “home‑grow” clinicians.
Morrison Child and Family Services CEO Nick Gallo described successful hiring after the 2022 rate increase but warned wage erosion and operating margins remain a risk; he urged an incentive payment structured to be additive and focused on providers serving high‑acuity Medicaid populations.
The committee recorded no formal votes on the bill in the transcript; witnesses urged a combination of immediate wage support and longer term training pipelines.
