Click the links below to read the cover letter, summary and full report:

Cover Letter

Executive Summary

Full Report

Last month the Maryland Behavioral Health Workforce Assessment Report was just submitted to the Maryland General Assembly pursuant to legislation developed and passed in 2023. SB 283/HB 418 (2023) established the Maryland Behavioral Health Workforce Investment Fund and required completion of this report to inform establishment of the Fund. Section 1 of the report provides a landscape analysis of the current behavioral health workforce in Maryland. Section 2 estimates the extent of the workforce shortage and Section 3 examines the supply of behavioral health talent produced by Maryland colleges and universities since 2014.

The second half of the report draws on the findings from quantitative research and input from over 150 frontline professionals, employers, policy leaders, and educators through semi-structured interviews and regional input sessions to recommend a framework for statewide action. Section 4 includes suggested core values – equity, collaboration, and outcomes – and six recommended strategies to address the workforce shortage. Section 5 lays out the recommended size, funding structure, and initial programs of the Behavioral Health Workforce Investment Fund, while Section 6 reviews key implementation considerations for setting up and administering the Fund. The six recommended strategies for an overarching behavioral health workforce initiative in Maryland include:

1. Provide competitive compensation
2. Increase awareness of behavioral health careers
3. Support paid education and training
4. Promote timely and effective licensing
5. Invest in job quality
6. Expand the impact of the current workforce