36-1807. Expansion of behavioral health workforce training; pilot program fund; grant program; requirements

(Rpld. 1/1/27)

A. The pilot program fund is established. The Arizona health care cost containment system administration shall administer the fund. Monies in the fund are continuously appropriated and are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations. Monies in the fund shall be used to expand the capacity of the Maricopa county community college district and the Navajo county community college district to train students as behavioral health workers by developing behavioral health curriculum in partnership with the Maricopa county community college district and the Navajo county community college district.

B. The Arizona health care cost containment system may use legislative appropriations, private donations, grants and federal monies to implement, support, promote or maintain the grant program established pursuant to this section or to supplant monies appropriated from the state general fund. The administration shall use all other funding sources for the grant program before using any state general fund monies.

C. Subject to available monies, the director of the Arizona health care cost containment system shall develop a grant program in partnership with the Maricopa county community college district and the Navajo county community college district to distribute the monies in the fund to community colleges with qualifying programs to train students to address the shortage of the behavioral health workforce by increasing the number of students completing qualified programs by the end of fiscal year 2024-2025. Grants provided pursuant to this section shall be used:

1. To expand behavioral health curriculum and pay for salaries, benefits, training and related expenses and operational costs necessary to increase the number of qualified behavioral health education faculty members teaching in degree and certificate programs operated or overseen by the Maricopa county community college district and the Navajo county community college district.

2. To pay for tuition, fees and related educational expenses of eligible students enrolling in behavioral health programs. The Arizona health care cost containment system, in partnership with the community college districts, shall develop and implement requirements for payment of student expenses that include a requirement that students who complete a certification or degree program practice as a behavioral health worker in this state for a minimum of two years or the number of years that equals the length of the program completed by the student, whichever is greater.

D. The grants provided pursuant to this section are subject to the availability of monies. Fund monies shall be distributed in a manner designed to increase the number of students completing behavioral health degree or certificate programs.

E. The Arizona health care cost containment system shall develop reporting requirements for each community college using monies received from the pilot program fund. On or before December 31, 2023 and each December 31 thereafter, the director of the Arizona health care cost containment system shall provide a report to the governor, the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives and the chairpersons of the health and human services committees of the senate and the house of representatives, or their successor committees, and shall provide a copy of the report to the secretary of state. The report shall include:

1. The number and type of behavioral health programs created at each community college district, including the number and type of programs at each individual community college in the district.

2. The number of students supported financially in each program at each individual community college.

3. The number of students completing each program by type of program and at each specific community college.