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DBH outlines hiring targets; council presses on feasibility and pay
Summary
DBH told the committee it will hire dozens of clinicians and prevention specialists over three years, reallocating existing program funds; councilmembers pressed DBH on hiring contingencies, salary ranges, and whether the agency can recruit culturally and linguistically appropriate staff.
DBH told the Committee on Health it plans a phased hiring schedule tied to existing program funds. Agency staff reported hiring 24 FTEs in process for 2025-26, planned to hire 59 additional FTEs in 2026-27 and 30 more in 2027-28 as the department phases in an in-house model.
Committee members asked whether DBH can recruit enough licensed clinicians and maintain culturally competent staffing. DBH said it will widen hiring pools to graduate-level clinicians (LGSWs, LPCs) and expand an internship pipeline with local universities. On compensation, DBH gave ballpark figures: prevention specialists around $60,000 (approximately $80,000 with fringe) and licensed clinicians around $120,000 with fringe; staff said the agency would repurpose funds currently paid to CBO grants to hire FTEs rather than request additional overall funding.
Councilmembers pressed for a contingency (maintaining CBOs temporarily) if recruitment falls short. Basron said DBH could continue high-performing CBO partnerships as necessary to avoid service gaps. Several CBO witnesses warned that an aggressive hiring shift could deplete community providers' workforce and disrupt wraparound services.
