New Workforce Report
House Bill 97, enacted on July 1, 2022, established the Workgroup on Black, Latino, Asian
American Pacific Islander, and Other Underrepresented Behavioral Health Professionals (UBHP). The
law mandates that the Workgroup include representation from Maryland’s Historically Black Colleges and
Universities; hospital networks that primarily serve Black, Latino, or Asian American Pacific Islander
communities; behavioral health professionals; individuals who provide social services in the State; and
representatives of organizations, networks, or associations of behavioral health professionals that are
composed of or primarily work to represent and support Black, Latino, or Asian American Pacific
Islander communities, or other underrepresented behavioral health professionals.
House Bill 615 (Chapter 392), enacted on June 1, 2023, extended the deadline for the interim report to
July 1, 2024, and clarified that the Act would remain effective until June 30, 2025, on which a final report
must be submitted. The Workgroup began its work in November 2023 and submitted an interim report in June 2024. The current report was presented last month, to close out the work of the Workgroup.