1. Increase the supply, diversity and distribution of qualified workers to meet target demand by strengthening recruitment and pathways to current/new roles**
A. Implement large scale strategies to expose K-16 and post bac students to priority health careers and education opportunities and strengthen prep to be competitive training and employment candidates.
B. Develop and expand health career outreach and advising centers on CSU campuses. Focus on exposure, academic support and advising for incoming and transfer students and prepare upper division students for raining program and employment.
C. Sustain, replicate, and scale proven HP prep programs for UR, 1st generation and low-income students. Examples include Biology Scholars Program at UC Berkeley, Medical Scholars Program at UC Riverside, Health Careers Opportunity Program at CSU Fresno.
D. Implement exposure, experience and mentorship in expansion of the CCC Guided Pathway Initiative. Strengthen articulation and links to 4 year & grad HP programs. Link to local workforce initiatives.
E. Develop large-scale on-line & on-campus HP and graduate education advising, with links to HPEIs. Promote to CSU, UC, CCC and private colleges.
F. Create and sustain a California Health Career Opportunity Program (modeled after HRSA programs). Partnership between HPEIs, CCCs, 4-year colleges, K-12 and employers to provide UR and low-income students from underserved communities with academic and mentoring support.
G. Increase the scale & sustainability of proven middle school-recent graduate health pathway programs (Doctors Academy, FACES for the Future, Health & Science Pipeline Initiative, One Future Coachella, HOSA) that integrate exposure, experience and mentorship for priority HP careers.
H. Expand the role of school-based health centers in providing exposure to priority HP careers and connecting students to employment and educational programs
I. Create an on-line California Health Careers Corps for students at all levels can access: HP career and training information; academic, work-based learning and financial assistance; and HPEIs and health employers. Participants will be tracked, supported and connected throughout their HP journey.
J. Establish uniform local hiring practices to increase work-based learning opportunities (grades 7– 16).
K. Ensure multiple career pathways for people with barriers to employment
L. Empower the re-entry community in the health workforce and invest in pathways to employment
2. Align education and training program content with changing roles and requirements to prepare workers with the competencies to secure and succeed in emerging roles.
A. Strengthen mapping and articulation of priority HP pathways across educational levels and systems including clear expectations, improved advising and reduction of barriers to accelerate student advancement to priority health careers.
B. Expand the concurrent ADN to BSN pilots at Riverside, Fullerton and San Bernardino system-wide to accelerate full transition to BSN license. Explore options to decrease nursing units required at CCCs to transfer to BSN.
C. Strengthen pre-k, head-start, K-12, community college educational preparation, equity and opportunity aligned with the knowledge, skills and experience to be better prepared candidates for the future health environment. Engage health employers early and throughout the process.
D. Strengthen alignment of HS graduation standards and higher education admission requirements including adoption of A-G requirements as graduation standards to ensure students are prepared for a future in higher education.
E. Increase integration of training and practical experience on social determinants of health, population health, and health equity in all health professions training programs.
F. Strengthen alignment of HPEI types, locations, curricula and production levels with priority regional and statewide worker and training needs.
G. Integrate sufficient levels of behavioral health, primary care, population health and geriatric training content into the training of all health professionals. Strengthen preparation for effective practice in California’s increasing aging, diverse and low-income populations.
H. Redesign health care administration and related curricula to align with the evolution of integrated delivery systems in a value-based environment and prevention focused entities.
I. Promote STEM education among underrepresented, low income and underserved communities.
3. Strengthen the capacity, effectiveness and retention of the current workforce through changes in the roles, functions and configuration of workers and teams.
A. Develop regional partnerships for co-investment of health employers, colleges, unions and workforce development agencies to strengthen training, career ladders and job advancement for incumbent workers.
B. Implement strategies to increase the diversity of health employer and HPEI boards, senior leadership and management.
C. Expand roles for and integration of qualified “unlicensed” health workers into multi- disciplinary teams (Community Health Workers, Promotors, Health Navigators, Peer Support Specialists, Behavioral Health Specialists, Health Coaches, Home Care Workers etc.).
D. Expand practice capabilities and address supervision requirements for NP’s, PA’s and Pharmacists to expand access to quality, affordable services for all Californians; particularly in underserved communities and safety net settings
E. Create pathways and incentives and promote promising practices for employers to support all workers practicing at the top of their license/scope and appropriate for their level of training and experience.
F. Develop mechanisms for compensation and career ladder advancement options for workers in primary care, prevention, behavioral health, and care for older adults which results in recruitment and retention of sufficient numbers, quality and distribution of professionals to meet targeted needs. Demonstrate the impact on access, quality, outcomes and cost to make the case for, scale and sustain necessary investments and re-distribution of funding.
G. Establish funding incentives and promote promising practices to facilitate full adoption of team-based care.
4. Accelerate innovations in technology, process, payment and collaboration.
A. Explore development and expansion of apprenticeship programs, leveraging Department of Apprenticeship dollars for appropriate health careers which provide pathways to economic stability and career advancement and can be implemented in ways that are viable for employers.
B. Advance payment methodologies that incent and accelerate transformation in primary care, behavioral health and healthy aging and adult care, including team-based care, practice at full scope, practice redesign and focus on population health.
C. Address reimbursement level challenges that create barriers for candidates to pursue priority HPs and serve underserved communities and populations including Medi-Cal reimbursement.
D. Support the development of interoperable data systems across sectors that support the optimal coordination of patient care and the design and implementation of comprehensive, geographically focused health improvement strategies. Increase capacity for data analytic capabilities across health-related organizations.
E. Implement strategies which will produce more coordinated, efficient oversight and funding among multiple government agencies to enable more optimal use of workers, systems and data and to improve health outcomes and reduce costs.
F. Align accreditation and regulatory standards, timelines and processes with strategies to increase educational and workforce capacity and quality in priority professions and regions. Leverage requirements to accelerate and track progress in workforce development and diversity (such as public health department accreditation).
G. Develop private and public funds for sufficient investment in infrastructure and innovative programs to support collaborative, coordinated regional workforce strategies; with a priority emphasis on underserved regions and populations.
H. Establish and effectively operate a robust infrastructure for health workforce and education pipeline data collection, planning, tracking and reporting at statewide and regional levels. Invest in sufficient public and private infrastructure, staff and data bases to effectively implement the requirements over the next 10 years.
I. Develop state level (public and private) infrastructure for effective implementation of the commission’s master plan over the next 12 years. Establish ongoing forum for coordination, adjustment and accountability. Leverage and align efforts with association, government, education, workforce development, private and employer efforts.
J. Develop new funding sources and mechanisms to implement priority strategies.
K. Develop strategies to leverage and re-distribute existing funds aligned with plan priorities and strategies. Including:1) leveraging Workforce Development Board funds and statewide and regional plans. 2) greater investment of non-profit community benefits funds toward health workforce development 3) increase state investment in health workforce development.
L. Establish and fund evaluation mechanisms to assess the effectiveness of statewide and regional strategies and disseminate learnings to inform policies, programs and practices.
** Using the Coordinate Health Workforce Pathway Model