As the Minnesota Legislative session wrapped up last week, we asked our supporters to reach out to show support for Minnesota’s Mental Healthcare providers and community. The good news is that because you stepped up and contacted your representatives, many positive initiatives that looked to be in danger of not passing are now headed to the desk of Governor Walz for signature.
Among the items passed by the Legislature that will reduce barriers and increase our potential workforce are:
- Increase funding for the student loan forgiveness program by $1.6 million
- $2.5 million to provide free clinical supervision for aspiring mental health professionals
- Easing the path for mental health practitioners to be case managers
- Allowing interns to qualify as mental health practitioners
While these are all significant steps forward, there is still a long way to go when it comes to increasing the rates for the services provided by Guild and other providers, allowing them to create competitive and sustainable jobs for mental health practitioners.
Guild and our partners are hopeful that Governor Walz will call for a Special Session to pass the Health and Human Services Finance Omnibus bill that contains vital components, including:
- Emergency Relief Funding for nonprofits
- Increasing stagnant rates for Behavioral Health Homes
- Many other essential funding priorities.
It is not too late to address these crucial issues. Please reach out to your State Representatives and ask them to keep working to pass these critical measures to provide support to Minnesota’s mental health community.