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SB 500

Behavioral Health Care Workforce Data Base; expand to include data from licensed health care professionals

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Sally Harrell and 9 co-sponsors

Georgia expands its behavioral health workforce database to collect data from more licensed healthcare professionals to address provider shortages and inform workforce policy.

Effective Date
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Bill Summary · SB 500

Legislative bill overview

SB 500 expands Georgia's existing Behavioral Health Care Workforce Database to include data from licensed health care professionals beyond its current scope. The bill requires the collection and maintenance of additional workforce information to provide a more comprehensive picture of the state's behavioral health care labor market.

Why is this important

Behavioral health care workforce shortages are a significant public health challenge in Georgia and nationwide. Expanded data collection enables state policymakers, healthcare systems, and educational institutions to make evidence-based decisions about workforce development, training programs, and resource allocation. This information helps identify geographic gaps in provider availability and informs policy responses to mental health and substance abuse service needs.

Potential points of contention

  • Scope and definitions: Disagreement may exist over which licensed professionals should be included (psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, counselors, nurses, etc.) and how "behavioral health" is defined
  • Data privacy and reporting burden: Healthcare professionals and facilities may object to additional reporting requirements, citing privacy concerns, administrative costs, and compliance complexity
  • Data accuracy and utilization: Questions about whether collected data will be regularly updated, properly analyzed, and actually used to inform meaningful policy decisions versus becoming a compliance exercise

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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