California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) has launched a $32 million public-private partnership designed to add thousands of professionals to California’s healthcare facilities over the next three years.
The Allied Health Initiative is aimed at reducing California’s critical healthcare worker shortage.
“We are taking some great action to put Californians in jobs and pump up the economy, and at the same time improve the quality of healthcare for Californians,” said Schwarzenegger. “The healthcare industry is one of the bright spots in our economy continuing to add jobs, and still our hospitals and community clinics struggle with massive shortages because our colleges and medical training program can’t keep pace with the rising demand.”
Regional industry and education leaders will work together to develop effective allied health partnerships. An allied health professional is a licensed individual, such as a lab technician, dental hygienist or pharmacy technician, who works in support of a nurse or doctor.
“This public-private partnership will expand the number of pharmacists, lab technicians, imaging specialists and more – giving thousands of Californians the opportunity to pursue their dreams while making our state a healthier place to live,” said Schwarzenegger.
Funding for the program consists of $16 million from the state, divided into $8 million in federal Workforce Investment Act funding and $8 million in Recovery Act federal stimulus funding. Private partners, such as schools and hospitals, will provide $16 million in matching funds or in-kind contributions.
“California community colleges have over 72,000 students enrolled in health occupation programs, and we expect that this Initiative will increase our ability to educate even more students in the healthcare field,” said California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott.
According to a Health Workforce Solutions study, more than 60 percent of the health occupations in California are in allied health and are experiencing shortages. The most recent employment numbers available from the California Labor Market Information Division and Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate California has 73 percent of the pharmacists, 65 percent of the medical lab technologists and 62 percent of the radiation technologists and technicians of the national average to meet the needs of 100,000 people.
In spite of the economic downturn, the healthcare industry continues to grow in California, adding more than 27,000 jobs between February 2008 and February 2009.
By the year 2030, more than one million Californians will be 85 years of age or older, thus increasing the demand for healthcare services. The California Labor and Workforce Development Agency and the Employment Development Department workforce projections include the need to educate more than 206,000 additional healthcare professionals by 2014.
The Allied Health Initiative will be structured after Schwarzenegger’s successful 2005 California Nurse Education Initiative, a $90 million, five-year public-private partnership which has boosted the numbers of Registered Nurse graduates by 54 percent, new faculty members by 56 percent, and new student enrollments in RN programs – including 22 new public and private RN programs – by more than 68 percent since its inception.
The partnership is led by the Labor and Workforce Development Agency and includes several state agencies, California Community Colleges, the University of California and California State University systems and the California Hospital Association and its member teaching hospitals. The Initiative will begin in the fall with 25 community colleges enrolling more than 700 additional allied health students.