Refugees, asylees, and special immigrant visa holders: health care professions: grant program.

Existing law requires the California Workforce Development Board to assist in the development, oversight, and continuous improvement of California's workforce investment system, including helping individuals with barriers to employment. This bill would require the board to implement a grant program to award competitive grants to community-based organizations that resettle or provide services to the target populations, as defined, to address barriers to access and completion of health care training programs to obtain employment in health care professions, as provided. The bill would define "target populations" to mean refugees, asylees, and special immigrant visa recipients, as specified. The bill would require the board, in awarding grants, to give priority to proposals that align target populations with the specific entry-level health care labor needs of the respective local or regional geographic area, including, but not limited to, labor shortages of certified nurse assistants, pharmacy technicians, or medical assistants. The bill would require a grant recipient to provide to the board, upon closure of the grant period, a report on program and outcome data and information, as specified, relevant to the effect of the grant.