OAR 309-083-0030: Eligibility Criteria specific to the Behavioral Health Care Worker Bonus and Housing Stipend Program

(1) The Authority may determine the eligibility of qualified practice sites for sign-on bonuses, retention bonuses, and housing stipends for Behavioral Health Care Workers by: (a) Determining that a qualifying practice site employs or contracts with behavioral health care workers with associate, bachelor, master, doctoral degrees or other state registered credentials, and that provide direct behavioral health care to Communities who are Underserved. (b) Practice site location and their: (A) Ability to recruit and retain behavioral health care worker positions; (B) Plan or intention to use funds for bonuses and/or stipends. (c) Quantity of full time equivalent behavioral health care workers; (d) Other eligibility criteria as determined by the Authority. (2) All retention bonuses under this rule shall be paid only to existing employees filling permanent behavioral health care worker employment positions. (3) All sign-on and housing stipends under this rule shall be paid only to credentialed employees filling vacant and permanent behavioral health care worker employment positions. (4) No bonus or housing stipend under this rule shall be provided to workers who fill temporary or seasonal employment positions. (5) A practice site shall not suspend or terminate current employment positions for the purpose of using bonuses to recruit employees to fill those positions. (6) Behavioral health care workers relocating from another state and completing the reciprocation process of a behavioral health care license or certification from a Division recognized credentialing body are eligible for housing stipends. When reciprocity is achieved the license or certification shall have been issued by one of the following governing bodies: (a) Oregon Board of Licensed Social Workers; (b) Oregon Board of Psychology; (c) Oregon Health Licensing Office's Art Therapy Program; (d) Mental Health and Addiction Certification Board of Oregon (MHACBO); (e) Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists; (f) Oregon Medical Board; (g) Oregon State Board of Nursing; (h) Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission; (i) Oregon Traditional Health Worker Registry; (j) Other credentialing bodies recognized by the Authority. (7) Applicant organizations designated as rural may provide housing stipends to behavioral health worker employees. (8) Applicant organizations that are not designated as rural may provide housing stipends to direct behavioral health care workers with the following credentials: (a) Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor; (b) Certified Gambling Addiction Counselor; (c) Qualified Mental Health Associate; (d) Certified Recovery Mentor; (e) Traditional Health Worker; (f) Certified Prevention specialist; (g) Certified Gambling Recovery Mentor; (h) Registered Mental Health Associate; (i) Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor Candidate; (j) Other credentialed providers whose credentials are not listed, but also provide similar direct behavioral health care services using their credentials as compared to what is listed above (a)-(i). (9) Telehealth behavioral health care worker positions are eligible for sign-on bonuses and retention bonuses. (10) Telehealth behavioral health care worker positions are eligible for housing stipends if they meet other eligibility criteria to receive housing stipends above. (11) The Authority may prioritize funding for applicants that include but are not limited to: (a) Qualified practice sites that employ less than 25 full time equivalent direct behavioral health care workers; (b) Qualified practice sites that have vacant and culturally specific and culturally responsive direct behavioral health care worker positions; (c) Tribal Behavioral Health Programs; (d) Urban Indian Programs; (e) Qualified Practice Sites located in rural areas; (f) Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics; (g) Community Mental Health Programs.