Welcome to the Behavioral Health Workforce Research Center's newsletter, where you can keep up to date with our research, presentations, publications, and events.
News & Updates
In this Issue:
  • Featured Partner: Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
  • Focus Area Update: Scopes of Practice
  • Webinar Series Archive
  • 2017-2018 Work Plan
  • Connect with Us on Social Media
Featured Partner: Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill has partnered with the BHWRC on several projects, including Toward a Better Understanding of Social Workers on Integrated Care Delivery Teams and Where is Behavioral Health Integration Occurring? Using NPI Data to Map National Trends. You can find more about these projects on their website, the  Carolina Health Workforce Research Center .
Focus Area Update: Scopes of Practice
National Assessment of Scopes of Practice for the Behavioral Health Workforce
In April 2017, the BHWRC released its first report on behavioral health scopes of practice (SOPs). SOPs define which services a state or territory allows a licensed or certified professional to perform. These essential constructs can vary by state, potentially leading to service coverage gaps on a national scale. The results of this study showed that SOPs lack standardization across states and professions nationally, with regard to SOPs. Peer and paraprofessionals, in particular, could use more formal SOPs, as many states have not codified the parameters of service authority or regulatory requirements for these professionals. Overall, more uniform definitions and requirements in SOPs would promote standardization and could aid reciprocity and endorsement procedures across states.
Click the image to the right to read the full report.
An Analysis of Behavioral Telehealth Authorization in Scopes of Practice
Similarly, in August 2017, an expansion to the original SOP project was published, looking at behavioral telehealth service authorization - the practice of providing behavioral health remotely, using telecommunications technology. This analysis utilized the SOP statutes and rules gathered for the first project, as well as Medicaid Provider Manuals and fee schedules from all 50 states and DC . The results of the study showed:
  • Psychiatrists, psychologists, and APRNs were compensated at a higher rate than other behavioral health providers (BHPs) for the same service codes
  • Psychiatrists were the BHP most likely to be authorized to perform behavioral telehealth, followed by psychologists and social workers
  • Twenty-nine states require private payers to cover telehealth in the same way they'd cover in-person services
Click the image to the right to read the full report.
Webinar Series Archive
In Spring 2017, the BHWRC and Montana State University Center for Interdisciplinary Health Workforce Studies hosted a webinar series in which several experts shared their insights and knowledge on the behavioral health workforce. Click on the image to the right to view the webinar series.
2017-2018 Work Plan
Beginning September 2017, the BHWRC embarked on its third year of research. Included in its list of projects are:
Focus Area 1: Minimum Data Set
Focus Area 2: Characteristics and Practice Setting
Focus Area 3: Scopes of Practice
Connect with Us on Social Media
In addition to carrying out important research projects, the BHWRC seeks to serve as a convener of behavioral health organizations and practitioners, and to become a recognized voice on behavioral health news, information, and research. One method we use to accomplish these goals is social media, so please like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to keep up with the latest behavioral health news.
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Behavioral Health Workforce Research Center | University of Michigan
Phone: (734) 763-3118 | E-mail: bhworkforce@umich.edu | Website:  https://sph.umich.edu/bhwrc/