A new house bill will help behavioural health specialists tackle the mental health crisis in Oklahoma. The law will remove barriers that prevent these specialists from working in local settings.
House Bill 4275 expands opportunities for mental health workers
House Bill 4275 will allow mental health workers to better tackle the mental health crisis in local Oklahoma communities. Certified behavioural health case managers and peer recovery support specialists can now keep their professional certifications even while working in municipalities.
This expands on where these mental health professionals can serve people in crisis. People in need of health care do not have to go long distances to receive mental health care.
Current law ties these professionals’ certifications directly to state employment. Professionals seeking employment outside this framework mean losing certification.
Moreover, Representative Nicole Miller authored HB 4275. She said she drafted the bill with first responders, county sheriff’s offices, and local police departments in mind
Healthy Minds Policy Initiative, an Oklahoma non-profit, advocated for the bill. The non-profit is working towards improving mental health across the state.
“Allied mental health professionals like peers and case managers are such an important part of the behavioural health workforce. We want to see these types of professionals be able to work in more settings — like in county courts and on teams with fire departments — but as it stands now, they would have to give up their certification to do so,” said Brittany Hayes, Healthy Minds policy director.
Reports from the non-profit indicate that Oklahoma has shortages of key mental health professionals. Similarly, the number of licensed marriage and family therapists, psychologists, and clinical social workers all falls below the recommended total.
Current laws limit locals’ access to health care
The current framework for the certification of mental health professionals limits the access of locals to mental health care. Due to the fear of losing their licence, most mental health professionals do not take jobs in municipalities.
People in local communities have to go long distances to access mental health care due to the status quo. This also makes people in mental health crises hesitant to seek care due to the demands.
A veteran even informed a caretaker that he was afraid of seeking mental health treatment because he did not want to be away from his children. Once the bill becomes law, it will remove the restrictions that prevent mental health professionals’ expansion into local areas.