The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) has recently reclassified many graduate education programs, including those in behavioral health, as non-professional degrees. Under this reclassification, scheduled to take effect July 1, 2026, advanced programs in counseling, social work, public health, nursing, and other allied health fields would no longer qualify for higher federal graduate loan limits. This change threatens to restrict access to the education required to enter careers in the behavioral health workforce.

 

For future Marriage and Family Therapists, the DOE’s reclassification would significantly increase financial barriers to pursuing graduate-level training. California is already experiencing a severe behavioral health workforce shortage. Reducing students’ access to necessary loan funding could discourage future clinicians from entering the profession and further limit access to qualified mental health providers across the state.