Carter Freeman in Behavioral Health News: When Workforce Strategy Becomes a Finance Problem
January 19, 2026
Author: Carter Freeman
Carter Freeman, Vice President of vcfo’s Western Region, was recently published in Behavioral Health News with an article that reframes today’s staffing shortages in behavioral health as a financial design issue—one that can’t be solved through HR efforts alone.
Drawing from vcfo’s work with both private clinics and community mental health centers, Carter outlines how CFOs can take a lead role in addressing clinician turnover, wage pressure, and the financial risk tied to workforce instability.
In the article, Carter explores critical shifts finance leaders can make to support sustainable staffing models and improve both operational outcomes and margin.
Topics discussed include:
- Why staffing shortages are fundamentally tied to reimbursement, budget design, and retention costs
- How to use financial modeling to integrate hiring, compensation, and clinical capacity
- The real overhead of grants, waivers, and other workforce funding initiatives
- How to evaluate AI and documentation tools based on actual ROI and clinician impact
- Metrics that connect turnover, burnout, and financial performance
The article offers a practical lens for healthcare finance and operational leaders navigating workforce shortages, financial pressure, and access concerns.
