Section 3278.1. A. There is hereby created in the State Treasury a revolving fund for the Oklahoma State University Medical Authority to be designated the “Oklahoma State University Medical Authority Behavioral Health Workforce Development Fund”. The fund shall be a continuing fund, not subject to fiscal year limitations, and shall consist of appropriated revenues and private endowments. All monies accruing to the credit of said fund are hereby appropriated and may be budgeted and expended by the Oklahoma State University Medical Authority for the purpose of designing and implementing a pilot program at behavioral health facilities, the purpose of which is to provide for behavioral health workforce development and access to behavioral health professionals as provided by law. The purpose of the pilot program includes, but is not limited to, bed conversion and new beds; renovations at behavioral health facilities to accommodate new licensed acute or residential treatment beds; reallocation of beds from adult acute to child/adolescent acute beds; relocation assistance for licensed behavioral health staff currently living out of state; upskilling existing behavioral health workforce; adding new psychiatric residents psychiatric and psychological residencies, internships and post-doctoral training programs; providing social work scholarships; providing mental health nursing scholarships; creating one-time private-sector workforce innovation grants; providing licensure preparation assistance; and creating a behavioral health trauma fund for intensive home and community-based services. Expenditures from the fund shall be made upon warrants issued by the State Treasurer against claims filed as prescribed by law with the Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services for approval and payment.

B. C. The Oklahoma State University Medical Authority and the University Hospitals Authority shall prepare a report for the Legislature on the results of the first year of funding, including the number of professionals retained and recruited, and the expected benefits of the program. The report shall be delivered to relevant health care committee and appropriations subcommittee chairs following the first full year of implementation.