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2025 Session

Budget Amendments - SB800 (Member Request)

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Chief Patron: Deeds
Co-Patron(s): Aird, Durant, Favola, Perry
Behavioral Health Workforce Administrator

Item 279 #11s

Item 279 #11s

First Year - FY2025 Second Year - FY2026
Health and Human Resources
Department of Health FY2025 $0 FY2026 $156,000 GF
FY2025 0.00 FY2026 1.00 FTE

Language
Page 348, line 35, strike "$31,479,983" and insert "$31,635,983".

Page 353, after line 32, insert:

"DD. Out of this appropriation, $156,000 the second year from the general fund is provided to establish a Behavioral Health Workforce Administrator position within the Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority. The Administrator shall review current behavioral health workforce efforts, identify areas for improvement, and recommend efficient statewide solutions, including enhancements to workforce incentive programs supporting recruitment and retention. The Administrator shall submit a report of findings and recommendations to the Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority Board and the Behavioral Health Commission by November 2026.”



Explanation

(This amendment provides $156,000 GF the second year and 1.0 position to the Virginia Healthcare Workforce Development Authority for a dedicated Behavioral Health Workforce Administrator position to review current workforce initiatives in behavioral health and recommend efficient, scalable solutions to address workforce challenges statewide. The position would evaluate existing programs, propose enhancements to health workforce incentive programs, and support recruitment and retention efforts in the behavioral health sector. Establishing an Administrator position dedicated to issues impacting the behavioral health workforce would allow for greater focus to be placed on solving issues that impact this segment of the healthcare workforce. The Administrator could also coordinate various workforce incentive programs, ensuring that all programs work in concert and are achieving expected outcomes. This is a recommendation of the Behavioral Health Commission.)