4140 Statewide Health Planning & Development
Program Descriptions

10 - HEALTH CARE QUALITY AND ANALYSIS

The Health Care Quality and Analysis Program conducts applied health care outcomes analysis to produce public reports that address health care quality, outcomes, access, and other relevant issues in order to improve access to and quality of health care with the intent of improving the health of Californians. Using data collected through the Health Care Information Program, this program also produces data and products about health care cost, utilization and other trends to effectively meet the needs of health care policymakers, health care providers, health planners, public and private sector health care purchasers, researchers, consumers, and the media.

30 - HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE

The Health Care Workforce Program supports the development and expansion of primary care, mental health and allied health training throughout the state, promotes health care workforce diversity and cultural competency, encourages providers to work in underserved areas, and promotes the recruitment of students into health professions. It includes the following program areas:

  • Health Careers Training Program - Serves as a health professions resource and liaisons between public and private partnerships to promote recruitment, training, placement, and retention of a multicultural and linguistically competent health workforce in California
  • California State Loan Repayment Program - Increases the number of licensed primary care physicians, dentists, dental hygienists, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, and mental health providers practicing in designated Health Professional Shortage Areas. Repays educational loans of health professionals, who in turn must provide direct patient care in public or private non-profit entities for a minimum of two years and maximum of four years.
  • Song-Brown Health Care Workforce Training Program - Grants funds to family practice residency, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, mental health, and registered nurse training programs to increase the number and improve the distribution of these professionals in underserved areas of the state.
  • Health Workforce Pilot Projects Program - Provides the opportunity for health care related organizations to demonstrate, test and evaluate new or expanded roles for health care professionals or new health care 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.
  • Shortage Designation Program - Liaisons between the federal government and health care provider sites applying for designation as a Health Professional Shortage Area or a Medically Underserved Area/Population. These designations enable clinics to be eligible for assignment of National Health Service Corps personnel or apply for Rural Health Clinic certification, Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike certification, and the New Start/Expansion Program.
  • Health Care Workforce Clearinghouse Program (Clearinghouse) - Established to serve as the central source of health care workforce and education data in the state. The Clearinghouse is responsible for the collection, analysis, and distribution of information on the educational and employment trends for health care occupations in the state.
  • Mental Health Services Act Workforce Education and Training - Remedies the shortage of qualified individuals to provide services to address severe mental illnesses by providing stipends and loan repayments to qualified mental health practitioners, funding educational institutions to provide training to physician assistants, supporting psychiatric residency programs, designating mental health professional shortage areas, as well as funding regional partnerships and a technical assistance center.
  • Health Professions Education Foundation (a non-profit public benefit corporation) - Provides scholarships, loan repayments, and programs to health professional students and graduates who agree to provide direct patient care in a medically underserved area of California for one to four years. Programs serve allied health, nursing, mental health, and medical health professionals.

42 - FACILITIES DEVELOPMENT

The Facilities Development Program safeguards public health, safety, and general welfare through regulation of the design and construction of health care facilities to ensure they are capable of providing sustained services to the public.

45 - CAL-MORTGAGE LOAN INSURANCE

The Cal-Mortgage Program is modeled after federal home mortgage insurance programs, and insures loans to public and non-profit health care facilities for construction, renovation, and expansion projects. The Program facilitates access to private capital at no cost to taxpayers and has helped health care providers enhance the delivery of health care throughout California since 1972.

The Program underwrites loans, makes insurance recommendations to the Advisory Loan Insurance Committee, monitors the Cal-Mortgage insured loan portfolio, and administers the Health Facility Construction Loan Insurance Fund. The Program also administers loan payback provisions of Fire Protection Loans and the Eminent Domain Certificate Program for health facilities.

60 - HEALTH CARE INFORMATION

The Health Care Information Program sets standards for, collects, and maintains financial and utilization data from over 5,200 licensed health facilities in California, as well as comprehensive demographic, diagnostic, and treatment data for all patients discharged from licensed hospitals, treated in emergency departments, or having had an ambulatory surgery procedure in hospital surgical clinics. This information is used by health care policymakers, health care providers, health planners, public and private sector health care purchasers, researchers, consumers, and the media.

80 - ADMINISTRATION

Administration provides overall management, planning, policy development, legal, legislative, information technology support and administrative services to the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development.