Resources: Healthcare Workforce

Consists of a network of 10 regional centers, a central coordinating office, a National Hispanic and Latino ATTC, and a National American Indian and Alaska Native ATTC working in addiction treatment and recovery services. Promotes awareness and new and evidence-based practices and services for the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) and substance use disorder (SUD). Facilitates the adoption of new technology by addiction treatment and recovery service providers. Offers education, training, resources, and information for the behavioral healthcare workforce in rural areas.

Offers online training resources, technical assistance, capacity building support, and other services to help clinicians, clinics, and health systems provide high-quality HIV/AIDS care. Helps increase the number of healthcare professionals able and willing to offer effective counseling, diagnostic, treatment, mental health, and substance use services to people living with or at risk of contracting HIV.

Provides technical assistance to rural healthcare providers in the Delta Regional Authority (DRA) service area in order to enhance healthcare delivery and improve health outcomes for residents in communities in the Delta region. Supports small rural hospitals, Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), and other healthcare organizations seeking to strengthen local healthcare systems by addressing gaps in service and improving quality to better meet community health needs.

Supports Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in efforts to increase the number of racial and ethnic minority students entering behavioral health fields, including careers related to the treatment of substance use disorder (SUDs) and co-occurring mental health disorders (COD). Helps students discover and access behavioral health as an area of study and behavioral health career opportunities. Raises awareness of inequities and health disparities among minority and marginalized communities affected by substance use and mental illness.

Provides information, resources, and eligibility criteria to obtain free training to provide medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) for eligible clinicians working to address the opioid epidemic. Providers who complete the MOUD training may receive priority consideration when applying to the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Substance Use Disorder Workforce Loan Repayment Program or NHSC Rural Community Loan Repayment Program.

Provides information on multiple grants and programs to support the development and education of the health workforce to meet the needs of rural, underserved, and other vulnerable populations. Covers funding opportunities for workforce, including scholarship and loan repayment programs, in the areas of behavioral health, primary care, nursing, oral health, geriatrics, and public health.

Highlights several programs and opportunities the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is supporting to address the opioid crisis and resources on expanding access to care, connecting resources, sharing best practices, training, and more.

Provides healthcare providers with free and confidential consultation services and clinical resources on HIV/AIDS-related topics, such as testing, prevention, treatment, and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). Includes online and phone-based advice from leading clinicians with expert knowledge on managing HIV/AIDS, perinatal HIV, hepatitis C, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), substance use, and exposure to bloodborne pathogens.

Offers comprehensive information and resources on the use of prescription opioids, managing chronic pain, and opioid use disorder (OUD) for patients and providers, specifically for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities and Indian Health Service (IHS) providers. Includes online tools, technical assistance resources, guides, and training for patients and providers on topics such as opioid crisis data, opioid prevention, proper pain management, opioid prescribing/stewardship, culturally appropriate practices, maternal health, harm reduction, naloxone use, drug checking, child health and wellness, medication-assisted treatment (MAT), tele-MAT, trauma-informed care, best practices, supportive services, wellness courts, and training opportunities. Resource is an initiative of the IHS Alcohol and Substance Abuse Branch (ASAB).

Provides tele-consultation, training, technical assistance, and care coordination using telehealth to help providers integrate behavioral healthcare services into pediatric primary care. Supports the use of telehealth and other technologies to improve the ability of providers to diagnose, treat, and refer children with mental health conditions. Seeks to increase access to treatment and referral services for children and adolescents with behavioral health conditions in rural and underserved areas.

Shares strategies and best practices to help expand the community-based behavioral health workforce through the increased use of community-initiated care (CIC) and behavioral health support specialists (BHSS). Provides information to address behavioral health workforce shortages and behavioral health disparities in underserved communities and populations, including rural areas.

Consists of a network of 10 regional resource centers, a central coordinating office, a National Hispanic and Latino PTTC, and a National American Indian and Alaska Native PTTC that work to support effective substance use prevention interventions. Develops and disseminates education, training, resources, and information to raise awareness and promote the implementation of evidence-based prevention practices. Facilitates the adoption of new technology by individuals and organizations working in the field of substance use prevention. PTTC focus areas include community coalitions and collaborators; health equity and inclusion; data-informed decisions; implementation science; cannabis prevention; and workforce development.

Offers healthcare professionals evidence-based training, education, and resources to treat patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD). Provides free training to clinicians, pharmacists, peers, and substance use disorder counselors to enhance their ability to identify and treat individuals with AUD, including the use of medications for alcohol use disorder (MAUD).

Summarizes research describing the distribution of behavioral health professions in rural areas between 2014 and 2021, including social workers, psychologists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, counselors, and psychiatrists.

Features the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Behavioral Health Career Navigator tool that shares information on educational requirements, obtaining a license or certification for the first time, and licensure or certification renewal for several types of mental health and substance use careers in all 50 states.

Provides an overview of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) and medications for alcohol use disorder (MAUD), as well as information on opioid treatment programs (OTPs). Describes current federal regulations and requirements for practitioners to prescribe MOUD. Includes information and training resources for healthcare providers, researchers, and patients.

Presents the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) 4-year strategic plan detailing the agency's guiding principles, priorities, goals, and objectives to address behavioral health needs in the U.S. Focuses on 5 key areas: preventing substance use and overdose; access to suicide prevention and mental health services; promoting resilience and emotional health for children, youth, and families; integrating behavioral and physical healthcare; and strengthening behavioral health workforce. Emphasizes behavioral health equity for underserved and/or historically marginalized populations, including rural and tribal communities.

Provides an overview of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) efforts to increase the supply of trained, culturally aware behavioral health professionals, including psychiatrists, therapists, addiction counselors, homeless outreach specialists, recovery coaches, and other professionals in fields related to prevention, healthcare, and social services. Includes links to programs and resources to help address workforce shortages and provide culturally competent care to individuals with mental illness and substance use disorder (SUD).

Supports capacity building efforts for the prevention and treatment of substance use disorder (SUD) in rural counties of Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire disproportionately affected by SUD. Utilizes innovative technology and telehealth strategies to identify real-time needs in communities, disseminate education and resources on evidence-based approaches, and provide ongoing training and technical assistance to providers in order to more effectively address the needs of individuals and special populations with SUD and related issues.

Describes the enterprise-wide initiatives currently supported by the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Office of Rural Health. Shares the work of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) national programs to provide healthcare services in VA hospitals and health systems to veterans residing in rural areas across the nation. Outlines programs to address primary care, specialty care, mental health, care coordination, workforce training and education, transportation, and more. Includes virtual training for providers on substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and recovery, as well as a pharmacy-based program to increase access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for rural veterans with opioid use disorder.