§ 23-17.23-3. Responsibilities of the center for health professions. (a) The center for health professions will coordinate, facilitate and communicate statewide efforts to meet supply and demand needs for Rhode Island's healthcare workforce. The initial focus for the center shall include nursing which is experiencing the greatest workforce shortages.

(b) The 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:

(i) Current health care professions supply and demand;

(ii) Future supply and demand; and

(iii) Gap analysis.

(2) Education and training to ensure Rhode Island's current education and training systems have the resources to adequately support workforce demand and establish the centralized clinical placement registry to move students through the postsecondary education pipeline in an efficient manner.

(3) Recruitment to increase the level of awareness and diversity of the healthcare workforce.

(4) Research, design and implement creative retention initiatives which will assist the state of Rhode Island retain its healthcare professionals.

(c) The center for health professions shall serve as a repository for healthcare workforce data and provide professional development opportunities and research best practices with the goal of streamlining both public and private resources and eliminating duplication of effort.

(d) The center may accept funding that includes, but is not limited to, monetary contributions, contractual arrangements, in-kind services, federal and state workforce development appropriated funds, private and public foundation grants and fees for service products.

History of Section. (P.L. 2009, ch. 45, § 1; P.L. 2009, ch. 81, § 1.)