By narrowing the definition of “professional degree programs,” a recent proposal by the U.S. Department of Education has the potential to gravely impact our country’s healthcare system.
This shift would fundamentally reshape access to education in behavioral health, a field that is already facing significant workforce shortages nationwide (as well as nurses, physical therapists, public health professionals, and more).
Behavioral health professionals, like counselors and social workers, complete rigorous graduate-level training.
These pathways require accredited master’s degrees, thousands of hours of supervised clinical practices, licensure exams, and criminal background checks to enter the field. Once practicing, these professionals must remain compliant with strict state and federal regulations, abide by a code of ethics, and complete mandatory continuing education.
Reclassification and its impact
The proposed changes to the Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) framework, buried in the recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill poses a serious threat to critical helping professions.
By reclassifying these fields from “professional” to “graduate,” the DOE would impose far lower federal loan limits — $100,000 in total borrowing and just $20,500 per year. Yet median tuition for a Master of Social Work program is already estimated at $17,410 annually, and total yearly costs often exceed $36,000 when fees and living expenses are included.
Under these limits, many students would be unable to finance the education required for licensure and come as the U.S. faces severe nationwide shortages across all behavioral health professions.
In New Jersey alone, a 2023 labor market analysis projected a shortfall of more than 60,000 behavioral health and social service workers if current trends continue.
Reclassifying these programs as standard graduate degrees will create new financial barriers, shrink the pipeline of future clinicians, reduce diversity in the workforce, and undermine efforts to expand access to mental health and addiction services.
Additionally, first-generation students, low-income students, and those from marginalized communities will feel the greatest strain, exacerbating disparities in a profession that already struggles to reflect the diversity of the communities it serves.
The RISE framework, as written, dismisses the realities of our profession and the societal importance of the work we do, and the implications extend well beyond prospective students.
Reclassification could alter how federal aid is distributed, shift the structure of graduate loan programs, and change the way universities fund and prioritize counseling, addictions, and social work programs.
These ripple effects risk weakening the very infrastructure that supports our family and friends who are struggling with addiction and mental health issues and require adequate care, not to mention those under the care of nurses and other healthcare workers left out.
N.J. leaders must act
Because the DOE is legally required to consider public comments before finalizing any rule, the decision is not 100% final. Our elected officials in New Jersey and beyond must act now to protect critical frontline workers, ensuring their classification as professionals remain intact.
While the public comment period is not yet open, current and aspiring professionals — and any concerned citizen — can monitor the DOE website and submit public comment once the comment period opens.
In the meantime, all are encouraged to share information with their federal representatives about how the proposed loan limits could restrict access to graduate education and worsen existing workforce shortages through this ruling.
To learn more and take action, please visit the National Board for Certified Counselors’ resource website and complete the steps outlined.
Calling your elected representative in the state Assembly or Senate is the most effective way to influence policy. To find your state Assembly member and Senator to voice your position, go to the New Jersey Legislature website’s Legislative Roster.
Victoria Nagel is director of Clinical Training & Workforce Development at New Jersey Prevention Network.
