The U.S. House of Representatives has passed H.R. 728, The Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, which would reauthorize federal programs to develop the nursing workforce for five years. Last Thursday, the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee passed its version of the bill (S. 1399). Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren (D) is a member of the committee.
MHA is a strong supporter of the federal bill and has been involved in related workforce advancement efforts in the state. For example, MHA is advocating for H1944, An Act Relative to Nurse Licensure Compact in Massachusetts, which would allow R.N.s to have one multistate license from the state in which they reside, with the privilege to practice in their home state and all others that are members of the Compact. MHA has also testified in support of HB1737/SB1147, An Act Establishing a Behavioral Health Workforce, which would create a behavioral health workforce commission to identify reasons for behavioral health workforce shortages in inpatient and community-based settings and make recommendations to address such shortages. The commission would be composed of state officials, as well as provider and consumer groups.