Bill Overview
Title: Mental Health Workforce for Kids Act
Description: This bill reauthorizes through FY2027 and makes other changes to a demonstration program that supports integrating primary care and behavioral health care in underserved, community-based settings through the provision of training to health care providers. Specific changes include expanding the types of providers who may receive training through the program and incorporating a particular focus on pediatrics.
Sponsors: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA]
Target Audience
Population: Children (0-17) worldwide with inadequate access to mental health care
Estimated Size: 74000000
- The bill targets the improvement and expansion of training for healthcare providers focused on integrating primary care and behavioral health care in underserved settings.
- It specifically focuses on pediatric care, indicating a direct impact on children who require mental health services.
- Children in underserved areas generally have less access to integrated mental health services, meaning the expansion will primarily benefit them.
- By expanding provider types eligible for training, the legislation aims to increase the number of trained professionals available to serve this population.
Reasoning
- The policy is designed to enhance access and quality of mental health care for children, primarily benefitting those in underserved communities.
- By broadening the range of healthcare providers trained to integrate behavioral and primary health care, the policy might alleviate existing workforce shortages.
- With a considerable budget, the policy can enable substantial training programs, though the budget constraints limit the scale.
- The aim is for a widespread impact, but reaching the broad target population will take time as training healthcare providers and implementing changes are not immediate processes.
- Diverse perspectives across socio-economic, geographical, and professional lines are crucial to understanding the multifaceted impact of this policy.
Simulated Interviews
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (Urban Texas)
Age: 35 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm optimistic about the policy because it will allow providers like me to integrate necessary mental health services into our everyday care routines.
- The training opportunities will improve my ability to deal with mental health issues, which come up frequently but are hard to address without proper support.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Family Medicine Doctor (Rural Kentucky)
Age: 42 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Training will be a game-changer for our practice.
- Currently, we're quite overburdened, and this could be an opportunity to offer comprehensive care without sending families far from home.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
School Counselor (Suburban California)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's frustrating to see children slip through the cracks due to inadequate resources.
- This policy could empower us with better tools and referral options for kids in need.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Psychiatrist (Urban New York)
Age: 39 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This initiative will likely expand our ability to team with primary care providers for better holistic care.
- Many youth could benefit from the early intervention this policy might facilitate.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Social Worker (Rural Nevada)
Age: 28 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 12.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I believe targeted training can help us deliver necessary interventions to kids who might otherwise not receive help.
- The policy is a much-needed step towards better youth mental health care.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Parent of a child with ADHD (Urban Florida)
Age: 25 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 16/20
Statement of Opinion:
- An integrated approach could simplify our lives.
- If primary care could better handle mental health issues, it would save us time and stress in managing appointments.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Elementary School Principal (Suburban Ohio)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Increased training for our community healthcare providers could directly benefit our students.
- This policy feels like it could bridge gaps we've had in supporting students' mental health.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Grandparent raising grandchildren (Urban Illinois)
Age: 60 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Any policy that could bring more accessible mental health care would be a blessing for us and many others.
- The stress of managing children's mental health without help has been overwhelming.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Pediatrician (Rural Mississippi)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 12.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy would expand our capacity to address behavioral issues right in the primary care setting.
- I think it will enhance services and possibly reduce healthcare costs in the long run.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Hospital Administrator (Urban Washington)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Improving provider training could amplify our hospital's capacity to serve children in our mental health clinic.
- I expect increased efficiency and service quality if implemented well.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $50000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $60000000)
Year 2: $55000000 (Low: $44000000, High: $66000000)
Year 3: $60000000 (Low: $48000000, High: $72000000)
Year 5: $70000000 (Low: $56000000, High: $84000000)
Year 10: $100000000 (Low: $80000000, High: $120000000)
Year 100: $200000000 (Low: $160000000, High: $240000000)
Key Considerations
- Availability of qualified trainers and capacity of training institutions could affect program scale and effectiveness.
- Behavioral health integration requires careful management to maintain care quality and effectiveness.
- Securing ongoing funding is crucial to program sustainability.