Virginia House Bill HB624

Virginia 2022 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/11/22
• Refer: 1/11/22
• Report Pass: 2/8/22
• Refer: 2/8/22

Caption

Behavioral health safety net workforce needs; DBHDS to develop strategy to address, report.

Impact

The implications of HB 624 are significant as it seeks to enhance the behavioral health system by ensuring a well-trained and sufficient workforce. The work group's activities will not only focus on identifying needs but also on suggesting necessary statutory, regulatory, and budgetary actions to meet those needs. Upon completion of its task, the work group must report its findings and recommendations to both the Governor and the General Assembly, promoting accountability and ongoing dialogue on workforce issues in public health.

Summary

House Bill 624 mandates the establishment of a work group by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services in Virginia. This work group will include a diverse range of stakeholders, such as representatives from health professions and community service boards. The primary aim is to address the behavioral health safety net workforce shortage in the Commonwealth. The bill emphasizes the need to assess current and future workforce shortages, identify barriers to workforce expansion, and develop effective strategies to overcome these challenges.

Contention

While details on opposition or support are not available in the provided documents, the bill's focus on workforce development within the behavioral health sector suggests areas for contention. Stakeholders may have differing views on the effectiveness of proposed strategies or the prioritizing of resources towards certain initiatives. The need for cross-agency collaboration introduced by this bill highlights potential bureaucratic challenges that may need addressing to ensure timely action on workforce shortages.