Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs and degrees have increased substantially in recent years and there has been controversy surrounding whether more advanced practiced registered nurses should be prepared by DNP programs that are lengthier and more expensive than other masters degree programs. However, little research has been conducted that explores the role of DNP-prepared…
The behavioral health workforce faces considerable challenges, including demand for behavioral health services, changes to the health system under the Affordable Care Act, the return of war veterans with behavioral health needs, and a shift from incarceration to treatment-oriented behavioral health care in the criminal justice system. These changes place additional strain on the existing…
In conjunction with other legislation, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) is transforming medical care in the United States. The ACA is seeking to improve patient and population health outcomes while lowering costs. One mechanism is to incentivize the use of interprofessional health teams in primary and specialty care settings. These changes require reconfiguring and…
Significant Federal investments have motivated many community health centers (CHCs) to implement electronic health records (EHRs) in recent years. Because CHCs are known to use flexible and innovative staffing models, their uptake of EHRs creates a unique opportunity to study how new technology intersects with staffing changes to influence care delivery. This report helps to…
Telehealth has long been viewed as an important pathway for increasing access to care for underserved populations, while providing high quality care at low cost. The spread of telehealth in the United States, however, has been hampered by a range of reimbursement, equipment costs, and licensure barriers. This report examines the extent to which…
As demand for greater and more diverse behavioral health care services increases, expansion of occupational scopes of practice (SOPs) has been suggested as one mechanism for enhancing workforce capacity. SOPs that are uniform for a given occupation across states, and complementary across behavioral health occupations, may help ensure that a full range of mental health…
Social work scopes of practice (SOPs) define the services and functions that are allowed by social workers. However, no studies have been conducted to assess the uniformity, or lack thereof, of the profession’s regulations across each state. As the need for social workers increases, the capacities of social workers will increase as well. This policy…
Balancing the disequilibrium between the demand for mental health and substance use disorder services and the supply of qualified behavioral health professionals compels an examination of the billing and reimbursement practices and payer policies impacting behavioral health service access. One strategy to enhance workforce capacity is to ensure that behavioral health professionals can receive reimbursement…
The Center for Health Workforce Studies (CHWS) developed a numerical scope of practice index for the dental hygiene profession called the Dental Hygiene Professional Practice Index (DHPPI) under a contract with the the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Because the variables in the original DHPPI, which…
Since Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) were first recognized in Medicare regulations in 2011, their numbers have been growing rapidly. Yet little is known about the way delivery systems adjusted to the change, and specifically about how those changes affect the health care workforce in hospitals. This report provides a descriptive analysis of workforce differences between…
