Salinas, Molinaro Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Grow America’s Mental and Behavioral Health Workforce

Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Representatives Andrea Salinas (OR-06) and Marc Molinaro (NY-19) introduced a bipartisan bill to grow America’s mental and behavioral health workforce. The Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery (STAR) Plus Scholarship Act would create a new scholarship program for students pursuing a degree in the mental health, behavioral health, or substance use disorder treatment professions.

“Many Americans aren’t getting treatment for mental health and substance use disorders, simply because they can’t find a provider who looks like them, understands their culture, or speaks their language. Unfortunately, the high cost of a behavioral health degree often prevents students from diverse backgrounds from pursuing these professions in the first place,” said Rep. Salinas. “Our bipartisan bill would address that problem by creating a new scholarship program for mental and behavioral health students, prioritizing those from underrepresented groups. This legislation would help break down barriers to entry in the field and build a diverse and thriving workforce that can meet the needs of our communities." 

"The mental health and substance use epidemic is the public health emergency of our lifetime. By creating a scholarship program for mental and behavioral health students, we will take a huge financial burden off of them and boost the number of quality providers who can care for those struggling,” said Rep. Molinaro.

In 2023, one in five adults – or about 50 million Americans – struggled with mental illness, the majority of whom received no treatment. Meanwhile, 15% of Americans reported suffering from a substance use disorder, and 93% received no treatment. While the prevalence of mental and behavioral health problems is growing, there are simply not enough providers to meet demand, especially for those living in rural areas or people seeking a provider who looks like them or speaks their primary language.

However, a significant barrier to entry for mental and behavioral health providers is the cost of attending school. The average graduate with a master’s in social work had $67,000 in debt in 2019. Students pursuing graduate degrees in psychology take on an average debt load between $95,000-$160,000. These figures are even higher for Black and Latino students.

The STAR Plus Scholarship Act would help address the mental and behavioral health workforce shortage by:

• Creating a scholarship program for students pursuing a degree to provide substance use disorder treatment, mental health and behavioral health services;

• Students would be eligible for non-taxable scholarships to cover the costs of their programs;

• Requiring students to fulfill their obligations in a mental health shortage area or an area where the mean drug overdose rate exceeds the national average;

• This bill also includes provisions to recuperate funds from students who do not fulfill their obligations;

• Prioritizing students from groups or populations that are underrepresented in the substance use disorder treatment, behavioral and mental health workforce.

​​​​​​​In addition to Reps. Salinas and Molinaro, the STAR Plus Scholarship Act is cosponsored by Reps. Paul Tonko (NY-20), Grace Napolitano (CA-31), and Jill Tokuda (HI-02).

The legislation is also endorsed by the following organizations: National Association of Social Workers (NASW), NAADAC — The Association for Addiction Professionals, American Psychological Association (APA), American Psychiatric Association (APA), National Council for Mental Wellbeing, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), NAMI-Oregon, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), Young Invincibles, American Counseling Association (ACA), American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists (AAPP), Mental Health & Addiction Certification Board of Oregon (MHACBO), IC&RC, Addiction Professionals of North Carolina, Oregon Council of Behavioral Health (OCBH).

“NAADAC is excited and proud to support the STAR Plus Scholarship Act, as creation of these scholarship opportunities is an essential step towards building a more robust and well-trained addiction workforce. NAADAC applauds Representatives Salinas and Molinaro for their leadership and recognition of the meaningful difference this policy solution will make in countless lives,” said Terrence Walton, MSW, Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer, NAADAC — The Association for Addiction Professionals.

“The U.S. continues to face a shortage of mental health care professionals, including psychologists. The cost of education is often a barrier to growing and diversifying the mental health workforce, as more prospective psychologists are forced to rely on student loans to finance their education. By creating a scholarship program for students pursuing a career as a mental health services or substance use disorder treatment provider, the STAR Plus Scholarship Act would ensure that more qualified professionals are trained to meet the needs of underserved communities without having to take on additional student debt. The American Psychological Association applauds Congresswoman Salinas and Congressman Molinaro for introducing this important legislation,” said Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD, Chief Executive Officer, American Psychological Association. 

“The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) applauds Reps. Andrea Salinas and Marc Molinaro for their vision to introduce the STAR Plus Scholarship Act. NASW supports opportunities to grow the social work workforce in a way that allows social workers to afford their education. This legislation would help social workers and other mental health professionals complete their education with the knowledge that they have financial support. This is a step in the right direction to meet the needs of individuals in a mental health professionals shortage area and help bolster the social work workforce,” said Anthony Estreet, PhD, MBA, LCSW-C, Chief Executive Officer, NASW.

“There are simply not enough clinicians to address the mental health crisis in this country,” said Marketa M. Wills, MD, MBA, CEO and Medical Director, American Psychiatric Association. “The APA applauds Rep. Salinas for introducing the STAR Plus Scholarship Act. This critical legislation would help alleviate the behavioral health care shortage and diversify our workforce to enhance access to much needed care.”

“As the nation continues to fight the overdose epidemic, we must devote greater resources to building and sustaining a competent workforce that is highly trained in the specialty of Substance Use Disorders. The best way to assure greater access to treatment is to assure we have more professionals. This legislation, by expanding and improving the STAR program, will go a long way to make this need a reality,” said Mark Attanasi, Executive Director, IC&RC.

“In Oregon, we have seen the difference an investment in the SUD workforce can make. Federal programs such as STAR and State Opioid Response grants have enabled us to expand our workforce, especially when it comes to peer professionals. Representative Salinas’ legislation will enable us to grow still more, in a state where these professionals are in extremely high demand,” said Van Burnham, Executive Director, MHACBO.

“Workforce shortages are hampering our ability to treat the millions in need of SUD services. The STAR loan repayment program has proven successful so far, and this legislation has the potential to make it an even greater success. We endorse this legislation so that we can grow the workforce in our state and across the country,” said Sara Moscato Howe, CEO, Addiction Professionals of North Carolina.

To read a one-page description of this legislation, click here. 

To read the full text of this legislation, click here.

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