HCA to distribute $100 million to Washington behavioral health treatment providers

By

Shane Ersland

|

Washington State behavioral health treatment providers have an opportunity to acquire funding to supplement their workforce needs.

 

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The Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) will distribute $100 million to providers to address workforce challenges. HCA will acquire the funds, which will be provided by the 2023 community behavioral health supplemental budget, on July 1st.

HCA staff hosted an informational meeting for providers Tuesday. Behavioral Health Policy and Programs Supervisor Kimberly Wright said the funds could be used for workforce retention and recruitment, childcare stipends, student loan repayment, tuition assistance, relocation expenses, and costs incurred due to the COVID-19 public health emergency.

Community behavioral health treatment providers who contract and receive  payment through a managed care organization or behavioral health administrative service organization are eligible to receive funds. 

Payments will be determined based on the number of people served by eligible providers during the last 6 months of 2019 and the last 6 months of 2021.

HCA will gather information from agencies interested in receiving funding throughout July, and providers will be notified of the amount of funding they will receive in August, Wright said. Payments will be sent to providers prior to Sept. 30th. HCA could have many applications to consider, as Tuesday’s meeting attracted more than 400 viewers.

“It may take us time to roll out funds,” Wright said. “That’s heavy on our minds. We’re doing a lot of internal work on that.”

Providers interested in acquiring funds can learn more here.