The Massachusetts Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Fellowship Program, initiated in 2023, aims to bolster the workforce of PMHNPs in community health centers (CHCs) while promoting diversity among practitioners. The program has successfully recruited six CHCs and received 27 applications, surpassing its initial goals. With a budget of $11.6 million, the program funds recruitment, training, and retention efforts, including a first cohort of ten fellows who will begin placements by April 2024. The initiative emphasizes matching PMHNP applicants with the demographics of the communities served, particularly focusing on bilingual candidates.

The bill outlines the funding distribution for CHCs as part of the PMHNP Fellowship Program, detailing requests totaling $1,461,267 from various CHCs in the Northeast and Southeast regions. It includes a new insertion regarding "Administrative Expenditures," reporting a total expenditure of $358,087.52 from March to December 2023. Additionally, a plan approved in December 2023 aims to expand the PMHNP graduate pool by including new hires from June 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, providing education and mentorship opportunities. An updated request for proposals and Fellow applications was released in April 2024, with the goal of allocating the remaining $6,206,381 in pass-through funds by December 31, 2024.