4140 Statewide Health Planning & Development
Program Descriptions

30 - HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE

The Healthcare Workforce Program supports development and expansion of primary care and allied health training throughout the state and promotes recruitment of students into health professions. It includes the following program areas:
  • Health Manpower Pilot Projects Program-Provides the opportunity for healthcare related organizations to demonstrate, test and evaluate new or expanded roles for healthcare professionals or new healthcare delivery alternatives prior to amending regulations or laws. Under this Program, trainees in approved pilot projects are exempted from other provisions of law. Pilot project results help guide changes to the Business and Professions Code.
  • Song-Brown Healthcare Workforce Training Program-Grants funds to family practice residency, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, and registered nurse training programs to increase the number and improve the distribution of these professionals in underserved areas of the state.
  • Health Careers Training Program-Works with public and private partnerships to promote recruitment, training, placement, and retention of healthcare professionals.
  • Shortage Designation Program-Liaisons between the federal government and healthcare provider sites applying for designation as a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) or a Medically Underserved Area/Population (MUA/P). These designations enable clinics to be eligible for assignment of National Health Service Corps Personnel or apply for Rural Health Clinic (RHC) certification Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike certification, and New Start/Expansion Program.
  • National Health Service Corps/State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP)- Increases the number of primary care physicians, dentists, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, and mental health providers practicing in designated HPSAs. SLRP is authorized to repay educational loans of health professionals, who in turn must obligate themselves for service in public or private non-profit entities for a minimum of two years and maximum of four years in direct patient care.
  • Health Professions Education Foundation (a non-profit public benefit corporation)-Provides scholarship and loan repayments to health professional students and graduates who agree to provide direct patient care in a medically underserved area of California for 2 to 3 years.