The Center for Workforce Solutions
The National Council’s Center for Workforce Solutions (CWS) is committed to strengthening the mental health and substance use workforce.
Learn MoreAddressing the nation’s mental health workforce shortage
Nearly 60 million people in the U.S. — about 1 in 5 — experience mental illness, yet the country has only one mental health provider for every 340 people. This shortage of providers contributes to over 122 million people living in a mental health workforce shortage area.
An important component of the workforce shortage is that 54% of people who earn master’s degrees in mental health face financial, time and regulatory barriers to clinical licensure that force them to walk away and never become licensed.
To address the mental health and substance use treatment workforce shortage and to increase the number of licensed clinicians available to serve clients, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing launched the Kaiser Permanente Mental Health Career Accelerator, funded by and developed in partnership with Kaiser Permanente.
Program Overview
This initiative aims to expand access to mental health care by increasing the number of qualified licensed clinicians who can provide mental health and substance use treatment to clients, while also building a workforce that better represents and understands the communities it serves.
370+
candidates supported toward clinical licensure across all markets.
1,000
Our goal: 1,000 candidates licensed across all markets by December 2028.
Program Locations
| State | Advisor |
|---|---|
| Southern California | California Baptist University |
| Colorado | MSU Denver |
| Georgia | Resilient Georgia |
| Hawai’i | University of Hawai’i |
| Maryland | Marline Francois-Madden, Ph.D., LCSW; Morgan State University |
| Oregon | Oregon Council for Behavioral Health |
| Northern Virginia | Waffa Traore, LPC, RPT-S; Authentic Way for Therapists LLC |
| Washington | Seattle University |
| Washington D.C. | Will Doyle, LICSW; Pathways to Housing D.C. |
Empowering the Next Generation of Clinicians
“I wasn’t sure I had the capacity to pursue my LCSW. Just thinking about navigating all the requirements for licensure, coupled with life happenings, would lead me to burnout and self-doubt. Within the program, I feel 100% supported, empowered and capable of achieving more than just this professional endeavor. I have access to mentorship, studying materials for the LCSW exam (which cost upwards of $1,000) and professional growth opportunities that I would have otherwise had to tirelessly search for and fund with the small budget I had as a new MSW graduate.”
— Kristina Silva-Pedrero, MSW, LSW, program Candidate
In the News
Read the latest news about the Accelerator and its impact on organizations and communities across the country.
- 40% lower physician distress, 245% more violence reporting: Workforce retention strategies gaining traction (Becker’s Behavioral Health) – May 2026
- Kaiser partners with National Council for Mental Wellbeing (Fontana Herald News) – May 2026
- The behavioral health workforce pipeline: Where it stands and where it’s headed (Becker’s Behavioral Health) – May 2026
- Kaiser Permanente eases “last mile to licensure” for mental health workers (Beckers Behavioral Health) – May 2026
- Career Accelerator targets licensure barriers in BH workforce pipeline (Mental Health Weekly) – May 2026
- To Grow The Mental Health Workforce, Streamline Licensure And Make Licenses Portable (Health Affairs) – April 2026
- When the Helpers Feel It Too: Recognizing and Responding to Burnout (Resilient George) – February 2026
Contact Us
Use the form below to submit your questions about the Accelerator. A member of the National Council team will respond.
This project is 100% funded through an award from Kaiser Permanente.