Congressional briefing highlights critical role of federal workforce programs in expanding behavioral health care

APA Services played a leadership role in a June 3 congressional briefing hosted by the Health Professions and Nursing Education Coalition highlighting how federal workforce programs strengthen the nation’s health care system and expand access to care. The briefing brought together congressional staff and national experts to examine the impact of Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Title VII and Title VIII programs on training, recruiting, and retaining a robust health workforce.

Panelists iterated that these programs are a crucial federal strategy for addressing persistent workforce shortages across disciplines, including behavioral health, and for expanding access to care in rural and underserved communities. The discussion also reinforced the importance of sustained and increased investment in these programs as Congress considers fiscal year 2027 funding.

Representing the behavioral health perspective, Abby Adler Mandel, PhD, director of clinical training at The Catholic University of America, highlighted the importance of federal investments in preparing the next generation of psychologists and other behavioral health providers. Drawing on her experience leading federally supported training programs, she described how these initiatives equip providers to meet growing demand for mental health and substance use services.

She spoke from her experience as a leader of programs supported by HRSA’s Graduate Psychology Education program and the Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training program, which fund interdisciplinary, community-based training
designed to expand the behavioral health workforce and increase access to care in high- need communities.

Mandel also underscored how federal workforce programs translate into real-world outcomes for patients and communities, particularly by supporting training in high-need settings and expanding access to care.

She further warned of the long-term consequences of insufficient investment in the behavioral health workforce at a time of rising need nationwide: “[Underinvestment] will result in long waitlists for access to providers; it will result in long commutes; it will result in people turning to emergency resources that are not equipped to provide treatment for substance use and opioid use disorders. So we will not be addressing the underlying issues if we do not have a behavioral health workforce that is prepared.”

The panel featured experts from primary care, geriatrics, oral health, and nursing, reflecting the broad scope of Title VII and Title VIII programs. Speakers collectively emphasized that sustained federal support is essential to ensuring a well-trained, adequately distributed workforce capable of meeting the nation’s evolving health care needs.

For more information, email Raegina Likewise.