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.

Added by Laws 2006, c. 224, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2006.