Okla. Stat. tit. 74, § 74-3200.1: Short title - Health Care Workforce Resources Center

A. This act shall be known and may be cited as the “Health Care

Workforce Resources Act”.

B. There is hereby created the Health Care Workforce Resources

Center whose purpose shall be to coordinate, facilitate and

communicate statewide efforts to meet supply and demand needs for

Oklahoma’s health care workforce. The initial focus for the Center

shall include health care professionals in short supply including,

but not limited to:

1. Nurses;

2. Respiratory therapists;

3. Pharmacists;

4. Imaging technologists;

5. Medical laboratory technologists and technicians;

6. Surgical and scrub technicians;

7. Physical therapists; and

8. Psychiatrists.

C. The Health Care Workforce Resources Center shall further

focus on:

1. Data collection to support strategic decisions and policy

recommendations, to measure and evaluate efforts over time, and to

certify on an ongoing basis:

a. current health care worker supply and demand,

b. future supply and demand, and

c. gap analysis;

2. Education and training to ensure Oklahoma’s current education

and training systems have the resources and support necessary to

produce the number of health care workers needed in both the short

and long term;

3. Recruitment to increase the level of awareness among

Oklahoma’s youth and adults of the opportunities available in health

care, thereby increasing the number of individuals entering health

careers; and

4. Retention to improve the job satisfaction and retention rates

for Oklahoma health care employees.

D. The Health Care Workforce Resources Center shall act as a

clearinghouse of information and activities focused on health care

workforce supply and demand. The state agencies, programs, task

forces, boards and commissions with resources earmarked or dedicated

to health care workforce efforts shall coordinate with the Center to

streamline resources, with the goal of eliminating duplication of

effort.

E. The Health Care Workforce Resources Center may accept funding

that includes but is not limited to:

1. Monetary contributions;

2. Contractual arrangements;

3. In-kind services;

4. Federal- and state-appropriated dollars;

5. Private and public foundation grants; and

6. Fee-for-service products.