The Behavioral Health Institute collaborates with community and University partners to grow and strengthen Washington state’s behavioral health workforce. Throughout Washington state, the demand for behavioral health care (mental health and substance use disorder treatment) exceeds availability of these vital services.

The lack of an adequate, qualified, diverse workforce, coupled with the rapidly increasing need for behavioral health services, means people are waiting too long for services, cannot get services delivered by people who understand their life experiences or speak their language, or cannot access services at all.

BHI has several efforts underway to address this crisis, including:

• Collaboratively developing and implementing the behavioral health apprenticeship program 
• Aligning competencies and college credits from the behavioral health apprenticeship program with four-year degree programs
• Collaborating on efforts with our partners, including the Washington state Health Care Authority, King County, Pierce County, and others

BHI staff are always seeking new opportunities to collaborate on efforts to develop and enhance the Washington state behavioral health workforce.