BILL NUMBER: AB 657 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 27, 2009
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Hernandez
FEBRUARY 25, 2009
An act to add Section 127162 to the Health and Safety Code,
relating to public health.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 657, as amended, Hernandez. Health professions workforce:
master plan.
Existing law requires the Office of Statewide Health Planning and
Development to take various actions related to statewide health
planning and the development of policies to address health care
issues in California.
This bill would require the office, in collaboration with the
California Workforce Investment Board, to establish the Health
Professions Workforce Task Force , comprised
composed of specified members, to assist in the development of
a health professions workforce master plan for the state, and would
prescribe the functions and duties of the task force in that regard.
The bill would require the task force to submit a complete
statewide health professions workforce master plan
to the office recommendations for a statewide health
professions workforce master plan and the Legislature
.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares the following:
(a) In order for California to remain healthy, prosperous, and
globally competitive, the state needs to have a skilled health
professions workforce.
(b) Demographic trends and health care reimbursement structures
are increasing gaps between health professions workforce supply and
demand, as seen in the shortages of primary care providers.
(c) California's population is aging, growing, and becoming
increasingly more diverse. California's workforce
of health professionals has not reflected these changes and is
ill-equipped to reduce new pressures on the health care system.
(d) Developing California's workforce so that it better represents
and serves its consumer population will help to mitigate increasing
health care costs.
(e) California faces a dramatic and pressing challenge related to
the supply and distribution of health care professionals. In addition
to urban areas, rural areas face ongoing challenges to recruitment
and retention.
(f) There are existing statewide efforts to address these
problems, which include, but are not limited to, the California
Institute for Nursing and Health Care's Master Plan for the
California Nursing Workforce, the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA)
Five-Year Workforce Education and Training Development Plan, the
creation of a health care workforce and educational clearinghouse
within the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development,
publication of the report entitled "Connecting the Dots: California
Initiative to Increase Health Workforce Diversity" by the California
Health Professional Consortium, and others. However, there is no
coordinated plan of action effort to develop the state's health
professions workforce.
(g) A comprehensive approach to health professions workforce
development is needed to ensure that the state has the optimal mix of
culturally competent health professions workers to address health
needs in a cost-effective manner.
(h) To prepare the highly skilled workforce necessary, to keep
California's economy competitive, to maintain the income and quality
of life for California residents, and to increase tax revenues, the
following issues must be addressed:
(1) A comprehensive public and private collaboration to develop
California's health professions workforce.
(2) A state-level effort involving multiple health professions,
business and labor, educational institutions including primary,
secondary, and postsecondary institutions, state government workforce
boards, regional leadership, consumers, and other stakeholders.
These groups should work together to forecast health professions
workforce demand and plan comprehensive pathways to support
multiple target groups targeted health professions
.
(3) Health data collection and reporting on a continuous basis.
SEC. 2. Section 127162 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to
read:
127162. (a) The office shall, in collaboration with the
California Workforce Investment Board and based on information
provided by the health care workforce clearinghouse created by
Section 128050, establish the Health Professions Workforce Task Force
to assist in the development of a health professions workforce
master plan for the state. The task force shall be comprised
composed of the following members from both
rural and urban areas:
(1) Two members representing the Legislature, with one member
appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly, and one member appointed by
the Senate Committee on Rules.
(2) At the discretion of the Regents of the University of
California, a member representing, and appointed by, the Regents of
the University of California.
(3) A member representing the California State University, as
appointed by the Governor.
(4) A member representing the California Community Colleges, as
appointed by the Governor.
(5) A member representing the State Department of Education, as
appointed by the Governor.
(6) A member responsible for leading a health sciences program in
a school district, drawn from a pool of candidates selected by the
Superintendent, as appointed by the Governor.
(7) Three members representing key stakeholders from labor
and the health care industry , health
insurers, and medical groups , as appointed by the Speaker of
the Assembly.
(8) Three members representing the health care industry
community clinics and hospitals in the state, as
appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules.
(9) Three members representing community-based organizations in
the state, as appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules.
(10) Three members representing multiple health professions,
including Allied Health nursing and allied
health , as appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly.
(11) A member of the California Workforce Investment Board and a
member of a regional workforce investment board, as appointed by the
Governor.
(b) Total membership of the task force shall be not more than 21
people.
(c) Membership on the task force shall be voluntary and without
compensation.
(d) The task force shall assist the office in the development of a
health professions workforce master plan, and shall meet
hold its first meeting no later than October 31,
2010, to do all of the following:
(1) Report, assess impact, and review capacity and effectiveness
of existing state and private workforce training programs
to leverage funding resources and form new partnerships, foster
shared learning, identify best practices, and minimize duplication of
efforts.
(2) Review local workforce investment plans and assess progress
in toward meeting current health
professions workforce needs.
(3) Identify education and employment trends in the health
professions.
(4) Identify the top 10 health professions with
the highest demand and develop a plan to meet that demand.
(5) Recommend state policies needed to address the issues of
health professions workforce shortage and distribution.
(6) Compile, assess, and align with other strategic plans for
developing California's health workforce.
(e) The task force shall meet no less than three times per year.
(f) Not later than October 31, 2013, the task force shall submit
a completed report to the office with recommendations for
developing a health professions workforce master plan.
a complete statewide health professions workforce master plan to the
office and the Legislature.
(g) The office shall act as the lead in coordinating the task
force.
(h) The office shall seek and accept funds from the federal
government and private entities to support the activities of the task
force.