California is working to expand and strengthen its behavioral health workforce by creating more inclusive career pathways, particularly for people with lived experience who bring deep understanding and trust to their communities. The state faces both rising demand for mental health services and significant workforce shortages, especially in rural areas where barriers to care are most acute.
Building New Career Pathways
The California Workforce Development Board (CWDB) emphasizes that behavioral health workforce development requires partnership across healthcare, education, labor, and regional economic development sectors. The state supports models including apprenticeships, earn-and-learn programs, and community-based training that allow people to gain skills while working and earning income. The Shirley Ware Education Center (SWEC) exemplifies this approach through its High Road Training Partnership project, which received a $13 million grant in 2024.
A Model Program in Action
SWEC, the SEIU-Community Clinics Partnership, and the Workforce Education & Resource Center are supporting over 3,600 workers in community health and other healthcare training to address shortages in the community clinic sector. The partnership focuses on worker advancement and industry need by connecting education, training, and employer demand in ways that create real opportunity. Particularly important, it uplifts low-wage healthcare occupations disproportionately held by workers of color, helping participants earn industry-recognized credentials and move into better-paying positions.
Removing Financial Barriers
Program participants benefit from tuition support to upskill into new roles while serving their communities and maintaining their income. The model provides financial support, counseling, and flexible career pathways that help workers succeed. This approach addresses both the need for expanded care access and creates economic opportunity in a key sector for long-term regional resilience and growth, as reflected in California’s Jobs First Economic Blueprint.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.labor.ca.gov/2026/05/28/mental-health-month-building-californias-behavioral-health-workforce-for-the-future/