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TN mental health workers could see pay increases if budget proposal is approved

Officials are asking for $36 million for a cost-of-living adjustment. This would raise the pay rate by nearly 20% for mental and behavioral healthcare providers.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — It's no secret the cost of living has gone up for people across Tennessee. Many pay rates and salaries aren't keeping up with those increases, including professionals in Tennessee who work in public mental health services. Some haven't seen increases in their pay for over a decade.

It has been years since the state budget has been changed to raise wages for mental health service providers. 

However, after another year of increased need for mental health services, the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services is pushing for that state-funded rate to change.

"The state's public behavioral health system has had significant challenges in recruiting and retaining an appropriate workforce," said Marie Williams, the commissioner of TDMHSA, during the department's budget proposal on November 1.

The department is asking for $36 million for a cost-of-living adjustment. This would raise the pay rate by nearly 20% for mental and behavioral healthcare workers.

Jerry Vagnier, the CEO of the McNabb Center said this proposal is coming at the perfect time.

"There's a workforce shortage across lots of industries, we're not immune to that. And we want to be able to retain really good quality staff," Vagnier said.

The McNabb Center is a non-profit organization. Nearly 80% of the organization's money comes from the state. Around 40% of their funding comes from the Department of Mental Health and another 40% comes from TennCare. The remaining 20% is made up of local funds and donations.

However, since the organization is dependant on the state, it has been difficult to continue expanding with such a limited staffing budget.

"If there are no increases, and we haven't had them in over a decade, it's like getting a 2% cut every year, and still being required to deliver on your contracts," Vagnier said.

There is also a pay discrepancy between the public and private sectors of healthcare. Williams gave social workers as an example.

Social workers make 28% more in the private sector than they do in the public sector. Yet, both positions have the same qualifications.

Vagnier said his employees are passionate about the work they do, but some of them need better pay to stay.

"To do the work the McNabb Center does on a regular basis requires quality, compassionate people, and our staff are awesome, in that regard," Vagnier said. "They do this because it is their calling ... but it's a stressful environment sometimes. And they ought to have good benefits, as well as reasonable wages in order to continue this work for people that need our care."

This $36 million proposal for a cost of living adjustment is the biggest budget-line proposal from the department. Their total proposed budget is $383,249,900.

Governor Bill Lee is expected to present that plan to the members of the General Assembly at the end of this month.

This will be Governor Lee’s fourth state budget, and in his time in office so far, the governor and the General Assembly increased the state portion of the Department of Mental Health's budget by almost $68 million (more than 26%).

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