From a population perspective, this US-based Action Plan encompasses workforce issues relevant to persons with mental health conditions, substance abuse or substance use disorders, and co-occurring mental and addictive conditions. A life-span perspective was adopted to ensure that the planning process gave specific attention to workforce development issues pertaining to children, youth, and parents, as well as older adults. Planning also was organized around the workforce needs related to culturally and linguistically diverse populations, as well as those living and working in rural and frontier areas. With respect to workforce activities, the planning process examined health promotion, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, recovery, and resilience-oriented approaches. It also examined the continuum of behavioral health needs, from mild problems to severe and persistent illnesses. A range of other workforce activities and processes required and received attention, including recruitment and retention, training and education, licensure and certification, workforce financing, and the use of information technology in training and service delivery.

Executive summary
Section i overview
1. Introduction
2. Planning process
3. Current workforce and its environment

Section ii core findings and recommendations
4. General findings
5. Seven strategic goals – an overview
6. Goal 1: persons in recovery and families
7. Goal 2: community capacity
8. Goal 3: recruitment and retention
9. Goal 4: training and education
10. Goal 5: leadership
11. Goal 6: infrastructure
12. Goal 7: research and evaluation

Section iii focused topics
13. Children and family issues
14. Consumers and families/adult mental health
15. Cultural competencies and disparity issues
16. Older adults
17. Rural issues
18. School-based mental health
19. Substance abuse prevention
20. Substance use disorders treatment
21. Workforce financing

Section iv conclusion
22. Next steps: leveraging change 280

section v appendix: preliminary implementation tables
a. Goal 1: persons in recovery and families 286
b. Goal 2: community capacity 293
c. Goal 3: recruitment and retention 296
d. Goal 4: training and education 302
e. Goal 5: leadership 310
f. Goal 6: infrastructure 314
g. Goal 7: research and evaluation 322
h. Contributors to the plan 324
i. List of acronyms 342