Karen Donelan, Stuart H. Altman Chair in U.S. Health Policy at Heller, has been appointed to the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission’s inaugural Behavioral Health Workforce Center (BHWC) Advisory Group. The newly selected members of the group were publicly announced at the HPC’s board meeting on January 16. In this new role, Donelan will support the BHWC’s policy development and research, which aim to build, strengthen, and diversify the behavioral health workforce across Massachusetts.
“In my work here at Brandeis and previously at Mass General Hospital, I have studied the frontline workforce caring for people with behavioral health challenges such as serious mental illness, substance use disorders, and geriatric psychiatric diagnoses,” said Donelan. “We desperately need to develop, support, and retain workers who support people in need, as well as their care partners and caregivers. I hope to lift up the voices of those providing care and help study ways to improve their work environment."
The Massachusetts Health Policy Commission (HPC) is an independent state agency working to improve the affordability of health care for all residents of the Commonwealth. Through data-driven analysis, actionable policy insights, public accountability, and innovative investments, the HPC seeks to improve health care delivery, lower costs, and reduce health disparities.
The HPC’s Advisory Council, first convened in 2013, consists of health care leaders who strive to enhance the HPC’s robust policy discussions by allowing for varied and representative perspectives on the issues facing the Massachusetts health care market. The Advisory Council serves as an opportunity for open dialogue and engagement among a diverse group of health care industry stakeholders and policymakers and, in turn, helps inform the work of the HPC.