Report on regulation of behavioral health paraprofessionals
This report from the National Governors Association reviews state regulatory approaches for peer specialists, community health workers, and behavioral health technicians/aides. "An emerging topic of interest among states is moving from filling the behavioral health workforce mainly with professionals who have a significant amount of post-secondary education to create opportunities for behavioral health support among professionals with more accessible levels of schooling. This interest is dually inspired by states seeking strategies to address behavioral health workforce shortages and an acknowledgement that current state-credentialed behavioral health roles may be too reliant on those with a master’s degree or other higher trained professionals. . . . States are exploring credentialing strategies in concert with other strategies to enhance access to behavioral health services, including participation in licensure compacts, education or clinical training expansion, telehealth and other strategies."