Addressing Virginia’s Mental Health Workforce ShortagesMental Health Professionals Shortage Data Ken Studer, Ph.D.Shortage Designations Manager

State Efforts to Address The Workforce ShortageAileen Harris, M.S.A.Healthcare Workforce & Rural Health Manager

Virginia Department of HealthOffice of Minority Health & Public Health PolicyDivision of Primary Care & Rural Health

Office of Minority Health & Public Health Policy

Mission• To identify health inequities, assess their

root causes, and address them by promoting social justice, influencing policy, establishing partnerships, providing resources and educating the public.

Division of Primary Care & Rural Health

Mission• To focus on barriers to access to care that

contribute to poor/inequitable health outcomes.

Strategies to Address Needs

• Identifying communities with the greatest unmet health care needs, disparities, and health workforce shortages

• Identifying the key barriers to access to health care for these communities; and working toward solutions

Health Professional Shortage Designations

Mental Health HPSAs in Virginia

• Virginia currently has 65 separate Mental HPSA Designations in 85 Counties– 25 Community Health Centers– 25 Correctional Facilities– 2 State Mental Hospitals– 16 Geographic Areas (10 CSB Catchment Areas)

• Short 23 Psychiatrists• Find Listing at: http://hpsafind.hrsa.gov/

Mental Health HPSAs in Virginia

Distribution of Psychiatrists by Sector

Distribution of Psychiatrists

Distribution of Clinical Psychologists

Distribution of Licensed Professional Counselors

Distribution of Licensed Clinical Social Workers

Target Areas: FTE Child Psychiatry per 100,000 18 Years and Under

Models of Care: Virginia Acute Care Hospital Psychiatric Beds

Finding Solutions to Disparities in Access to Mental Health Care• Understand the Distribution of the Problem

– Rural– Inner City

• Target Areas of Highest Need– Children– Uninsured

• Develop Appropriate Models of Care– Use all Mental Health Professionals Efficiently– Address Unique Community Needs

• Assure Provider Support • State and Federal Incentive Programs to

Increase Access to Care• Strong Recruitment Efforts

The State’s Efforts to Address the Mental Health Workforce Shortage

Federal and State Incentive Programs • Programs available to practitioners seeking

practice opportunities in Virginia

– Two (2) Loan Repayment Programs

– J-1 Visa Waiver Program

– Three (3) Nursing Scholarship Programs

The State’s Efforts to Address the Mental Health Workforce Shortage

The State’s Efforts to Address the Mental Health Workforce Shortage

Loan Repayment Programs • Virginia Physician Loan Repayment Program*• Virginia State Loan Repayment Program*• National Health Services Corps Loan

Repayment Program

*Application Period is January 1 – May 1

*Funding amount $50K to $120K

The State’s Efforts to Address the Mental Health Workforce Shortage

The State’s Efforts to Address the Mental Health Workforce ShortageJ-1 Visa Waiver Program• Must practice primary care for at least 3 years in

a federally designated health professional shortage area or a medically underserved area

• Also open to specialists

• 30 slots annually (10 FLEX slots)

The State’s Efforts to Address the Mental Health Workforce ShortageNursing Scholarships• Mary Marshall Nursing Scholarship Program for

Licensed Practical Nurses (funding and award amount varies)

• Mary Marshall Nursing Scholarship Program for Registered Nurses (funding and award amount varies)

• Virginia's Nurse Practitioner/Nurse Midwife Scholarship Program ($5,000)

The State’s Efforts to Address the Mental Health Workforce Shortage

Strong Recruitment Efforts• Free Recruitment Website to promote

Virginia – PPOVA - www.ppova.org

Subscribe to PPOVA Updates! • 3RNet – National Rural Recruitment

and Retention Network

• “Virginia: A Healthy Place to Work” Recruitment Video

• Recruitment and Direct Contacts

• Virginia State Rural Health Plan – Healthcare Workforce Council

Resources

• Office of Minority Health & Public Health Policy Website http://www.vdh.state.va.us/healthpolicy/

• Primary Practice Opportunities of Virginia Website www.ppova.org

Email Contact: Aileen Edwards Harris, M.S.A.Aileen.Harris@vdh.virginia.gov (804) 864-7436

Kenneth Studer, Ph.D.Kenneth.Studer@vdh.virginia.gov (804) 864-7428