Springfield, MA – Behavioral Health Network (BHN) is rapidly expanding its operations with a goal to hire 75 new employees, responding to what leadership calls a “crisis” in mental health care access.The network’s growth comes as many behavioral health providers face significant financial and staffing challenges.
Founded in 1938, BHN has grown through strategic partnerships and acquisitions, allowing it to create efficiencies and strengthen its business model, according to CEO Mague. While BHN itself doesn’t rely on federal grants, many of its clients and peer organizations do, making them vulnerable to shifts in government funding.
“If we don’t continue to be strategic in the current fiscal climate, there are service providers who will not survive. Non-profit, behavioral health organizations are at significant risk.We need to survive and continue to do the work we’re here to do,” Mague stated.
The expansion aims to address a critical staffing shortage. despite the planned 75 hires, BHN currently has a company-wide vacancy rate of 17% and needs over 400 new employees to reach full staffing levels. Low reimbursement rates from government regulators are hindering the ability to attract and retain qualified staff.
“The commonwealth has done a wonderful job increasing rates over the last five years, so that has helped,” Mague said. “But pay is still not great, so turnover is almost a bigger problem than hiring people to do the hard work of caring for patients that have complicated problems.”
Industry experts anticipate patients may need to adjust their expectations for mental healthcare delivery. Conley suggested community providers may increasingly offer group or peer therapy as an alternative while patients await customary one-on-one sessions.
