Oregon Moves to Fix Behavioral Health Worker Shortage While Cracking Down on AI Risks for Kids
Legislation that removes barriers to the behavioral health workforce and protects young people from negative mental health outcomes related to artificial intelligence was signed into law yesterday by Oregon Governor Tina Kotek.
The bills aim to remove barriers faced by a profession in crisis, avoiding long waits by patients in need of behavioral healthcare services.
The governor told the gathering at the University of Oregon’s Ballmer Institute that state behavioral healthcare professionals are stretched thin, and that patient wait periods for assistance are too long.
More Than Two-Thirds of the State’s Behavioral Health Professionals Plan to Resign
Underscoring the workforce crisis, attendees learned that nine of the 14 behavioral health profession types have an alarmingly high turnover risk, with more than two-thirds of the workers planning to resign.
Sources: Oregon Governor’s Office, Higher Education Coordinating Commission workforce survey summary, Oregon Legislature bill pages
Dailytidings.com
Yesterday, the governor also signed Senate Bill 1546, requiring AI chatbot operators to disclose artificial interactions and implement safeguards to protect users, particularly children, from self-harm and suicidal tendencies.
The following legislation is now in place:
House Bill 4083 streamlines Medicaid credentialing to allow qualified workers to serve patients sooner, reducing red tape for workers. By reducing red tape, providers can spend more time focused on patients and expand access to clinical supervision.
House Bill 4069 requires behavioral health employers to develop and implement written safety policies and plans for workers, particularly those at risk of violence when working with severely and intensely ill populations.
House Bill 4115 streamlines the background check process for workers by extending checks from two to three years and making them transferable across care settings.
Senate Bill 1547 creates a credential for behavioral health professionals from the Ballmer Institute who are specially trained to work with adolescents. This will expand the workforce and help fill the gap in early intervention and prevention.