RD406 - HB2142: Statewide Health Workforce Authority Recommendations

  • Published: 2009
  • Author: Department of Health
  • Enabling Authority: Request of House Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions

Executive Summary:
House Bill 2142 was introduced by Delegate Nutter during the 2009 Session to create a Statewide Healthcare Workforce Authority. This legislation was developed as a result of Delegate Nutter's involvement in Virginia's State Rural Health Plan planning efforts. During the development of Virginia's State Rural Health Plan, the fragmentation/lack of coordination of the health care workforce pipeline was identified as a key barrier to Virginia's ability to more effectively recruit and retain health professionals in rural and other medically underserved areas. Additionally, the Area Health Education Center (AHEC) program in Virginia, whose purpose was to support the development of the health care workforce, was de-funded last year largely due to its lack of strong leadership, unified vision/mission and integration into broader statewide health care workforce efforts.

The intended purpose of this proposed legislation was to create an infrastructure that would bring high level decision makers together to facilitate changes/improvements in the coordination and development of the broad spectrum of health care workforce programs to include, but not be limited to:

• providing administration and a unified vision, mission and direction for the AHEC program, bringing them back under a Consortium model that is represented by not only the academic medical/osteopathic schools, but also is represented by the other health professions (e.g., nursing, dental, mental health, physicians assistants, public health);

• collaborating with Virginia Department of Health (VDH) incentive programs (scholarships and loan repayments) and recruitment and retention efforts as these programs do not receive any funding for administration; and

• providing support for implementation of the State Rural Health Plan workforce council recommendations.

During discussions with interested parties after the bill was introduced, concerns were raised regarding whether the proposed structure and composition of the Authority found in the language of HB 2142 would effectively accomplish its intended purpose, including its ability to meet the federal AHEC Program requirements. It was felt that if the legislative language were structured in such a way as to meet its intended purpose, it could greatly enhance the development of the health care workforce in Virginia and improve access to care in rural and other medically underserved areas. Therefore, Delegate Hamilton, Chair of the Health, Welfare and Institutions Committee, requested on behalf of Delegate Nutter that the VDH meet with and obtain input from the appropriate stakeholders, to include, but not be limited to, the members of the Statewide AHEC Board of Directors and the Commissioner's Healthcare Workforce Advisory Committee, on suggested recommendations for amendments to the referenced legislation and to report on those recommendations by November 30, 2009.