The University of Alaska (UA) system convened a meeting of educators from disciplines spanning the behavioral health field to discuss how they can most effectively address workforce shortages, especially in rural areas. Despite a number of productive efforts in the UA system to develop an effective workforce that is trained in rural behavioral health, educators in Alaska see that more work needs to be done and are committed to formalizing workforce development activities that ensure the needs of Alaskans are met.In order to create a clear path toward achieving the development of an adequate and effective behavioral health workforce, UA educators, in collaboration with the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) Mental Health Program, have been researching relevant issues facing Alaska. What follows is a summary of relevant concerns and data in several areas, including 1) the national context of rural behavioral health shortages, 2) Alaska workforce data, 3) occupational and population projections in Alaska, 4) trends in UA behavioral health programs regarding enrollment and degrees awarded, and 5) recommendations for developing the behavioral health workforce.