The Georgia Behavioral Health Reform and Innovation Commission (BHRIC) has announced plans to revamp the state’s behavioral health system. It is planning extensive behavioral health reforms. And these reforms may have far-flung effects on healthcare job candidates and employers in the years to come.
What Behavioral Health Reforms Are Expected?
The Georgia General Assembly adopted some of the BHRIC’s behavioral health reform recommendations during its 2022 legislative session. At this time, reforms that were adopted included the Mental Health Parity Act.
Georgia’s House of Representatives and Senate unanimously passed the Mental Health Parity Act in March 2022. This act is designed to expand mental health services in Georgia. It also changes the requirements for mental health coverage in the Peach State.
Also, the act enables Georgia’s State Insurance Commissioner to enforce a federal parity act for behavioral health services. This helps ensure that depression, substance use disorder, and other behavioral health issues and physical health problems are covered equally by insurance.
Concerns persist about behavioral health reforms in Georgia as well.
For example, Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver recently stated that she is concerned about low payment rates for inpatient psychiatric treatment, which can contribute to a lack of treatment options for Georgia residents. Furthermore, Oliver noted that Georgia mental health placement beds may be filled by people who live outside the state.
Georgia lawmakers continue to explore opportunities to transform the state’s behavioral health system. As they do, this can present myriad opportunities for healthcare job candidates and employers.
What Behavioral Health Reforms Mean for Healthcare Job Seekers and Employers
Behavioral health reforms can provide greater access to various healthcare services in Georgia. In doing so, they can lead healthcare organizations to incorporate new behavioral services into their offerings. This can drive demand for behavioral health talent across the state.
Georgia healthcare organizations may want to start planning today for behavioral health reforms. These organizations can determine what behavioral health services to offer. From here, the organizations can decide on what behavioral health roles they’ll need to fill. They can then put together job listings to attract top behavioral health talent.
Meanwhile, behavioral health professionals in Georgia may want to update their resumes and cover letters. They may notice healthcare organizations throughout the state increasingly start to offer new career opportunities. Job candidates who fine-tune their application materials can put their best foot forward in job interviews. They may even be able to land a lucrative salary and other perks as healthcare organizations compete to hire the best behavioral health professionals.
Keep a Close Eye on Behavioral Health Reforms in Georgia
Kevin Tanner, chairman of the BHRIC, has promised a “decade of mental health reforms,” according to Forsyth County News. You may notice the first of these reforms soon. At this point, you should plan accordingly.
If you want to hire behavioral health talent or find a behavioral health job in Georgia, partner with BOS Medical. Our professional healthcare recruiters are here to assist you in any way we can. To learn more, please contact us today.
