Strengthening Virginia’s Health Workforce
Published on Aug 11, 2025
Over the past three years, DHP has accelerated licensing, expanded career pathways, and modernized data systems to better support health professionals and the patients they serve. These are just a few recent highlights—the list does not capture everything, but it reflects the impact we are proud to share.
- Faster Decisions: Licensing timelines have been sharply reduced—from 88 to 34 days overall for the Board of Medicine—accelerating workforce entry where it is needed most.
- Added Professions: Two new behavioral health licenses—behavioral health technician and behavioral health technician assistant— are now available and the psychological practitioner will be available next. These new license types open an additional pathway to becoming a more advanced behavioral health practitioner. The number of Registered Peer Recovery Specialists has more than doubled.
- State to State Licensing: Physicians can now apply online for reciprocal licensing across Virginia, Maryland, and D.C., enhancing provider mobility and regional care coordination.
- Increased Licenses: Dentistry licenses that once took 30 days are now issued in as little as two, more than doubling licensing volume and strengthening provider access.
- Better Information: A new public dashboard now offers real-time behavioral health workforce insights, replacing limited data access with a robust foundation for policymaking.
