Persistent shortages of the behavioral health workforce have prompted interest in expanding roles for bachelor’s-level behavioral health support workers as a strategy for increasing care. However, the integration of this bachelor’s-level workforce and the roles these individuals fill in the behavioral health system vary widely across states, shaped by differences in regulatory authority, licensure/credentialing, and payment coverage.

This article explores how US states define the bachelor’s-level behavioral health workforce through credentialing structures, educational requirements, and scope of practice.