Health Professions Careers Opportunity Program.

Under existing law, the Legislature finds there are insufficient numbers of minority health professionals to meet the state's health care needs and declares the importance of increasing the number of minority health professionals in order to meet the special needs of population groups who face cultural and linguistic barriers to adequate health care, and to meet the state's needs for a more equitable geographic distribution of professional health personnel resources. Existing law requires the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development to maintain a Health Professions Career Opportunity Program tasked with supporting and encouraging minority health professionals in training to practice in health professional shortage areas of California, among other duties. This bill would add to the Legislative findings that there is an urgent and growing need for California to expand its pool of talented, diverse health workers, and to connect them more effectively to jobs in all communities. The bill would authorize the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development within the California Health and Human Services Agency to take specified actions, including funding internships and fellowships, to address identified barriers to entry in the health professions for students from underrepresented and low-income backgrounds, as specified. The bill would authorize the agency to establish pilot programs at University of California, California State University, California Community College, and private university campuses to serve 4,800 students, as specified, and to secure funding and establish infrastructure to develop, implement, and manage the pilot program.