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Subgroup to analyze behavioral‑health and optometry funding weights; RGV planning optometry program
Summary
Work group 2b reported preliminary work on behavioral‑health and optometry formula weights, will compare behavioral‑health costs to graduate nursing and allied‑health benchmarks, and noted RGV plans to start an optometry program in 2027 that will need placement in the correct funding formula.
Mike Tremontae, lead for work group 2b, told the committee the subgroup is gathering costing information for behavioral health and optometry programs and will compare incremental costs against existing graduate‑nursing and allied‑health benchmarks to help size any new formula weight. "The recommendation was really to look at somewhat similar to the way that last time graduate nursing, graduate allied health looked at this — amount of incremental growth in the cost as opposed to the total cost," he said.
Members reported follow‑up items: obtaining additional academic‑formula input about optometry, gathering more detailed costing from GA/GAI counterparts, and revisiting the subgroup's analysis at the next meeting. A representative from the Rio Grande Valley noted the region is initiating an optometry program in 2027 and will provide experience to the subgroup.
The subgroup will continue data collection and expects to reconvene next week to advance its recommendations for the December meeting.
