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Current FIRs (in HTML & Adobe PDF formats) are available on the NM Legislative Website (legis.state.nm.us).  Adobe PDF versions include all attachments, whereas HTML versions may not.  Previously issued FIRs and attachments may also be obtained from the LFC in Suite 101 of the State Capitol Building North.

 

 

F I S C A L    I M P A C T    R E P O R T

 

 

 

SPONSOR

Saavedra

DATE TYPED

02/02/04

HB

HJM 34

 

SHORT TITLE

Healthcare Workforce Development Center Study

SB

 

 

 

ANALYST

Weber

 

APPROPRIATION

 

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY04

FY05

FY04

FY05

 

NFI

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

 

 

Duplicates SJM 32

 

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

 

LFC Files

 

Responses Received From

New Mexico Medical Board

Human Services Department (HSD)

Department of Health (DOH)

Health Policy Commission (HPC)

New Mexico Commission on Higher Education (CHE)

 

 

SUMMARY

 

Synopsis of Bill

 

House Joint Memorial 34 indicates it is necessary to establish a health care and human services workforce development center, with responsibilities including a twenty-four-hour triage practice support line for rural or isolated practitioners and authority to direct licensing boards to develop annual plans to increase reciprocity, reduce barriers to licensure, and take steps to increase the number of health care and human services professionals practicing in underserved areas of New Mexico; and

 

·        To assess the health care and human services workforce to identify the availability of existing personnel and the need for additional health care and human services personnel;

·        To enhance the existing health and human services professional workforce in New Mexico by developing career ladders and encouraging health and human services professionals to develop higher levels of specialization and proficiency, and

·        To address specific recruitment and retention issues including state, federal and private resources currently used to train, license, place and support health and human services professionals in locations throughout New Mexico; and

 

The memorial requests that the DOH, in conjunction with the HPC, conduct a study to ascertain the need for a health care and human services workforce development center based on the requirements above.

 

If such a center is established it should investigate the following.

 

  • Review and assess, on an ongoing basis, the health and human services professional workforce distribution and needs of the state, including the impact of various federal programs and requirements on the New Mexico health and human services workforce;
  • Assess the state, federal and private resources currently used to recruit, train, license, place and support health and human services professionals in locations throughout New Mexico;
  • Explore other resources that might be used to train, license, place and support health and human services professionals in locations throughout New Mexico;
  • Make recommendations for improvements in how state, federal and private resources should be used to train, license, place and support health and human services professionals in locations throughout New Mexico;
  • Perform these activities in a culturally sensitive manner, taking into account the health and human service needs of New Mexico's diverse population; and
  • Conduct its activities in a coordinated manner with the New Mexico health policy commission, the department of health, the commission on higher education, the public education department, the human services department, the labor department, the regulation and licensing department, the corrections department, the children, youth and families department, independent health professional licensing boards, higher education institutions offering health professional training and statewide health professional associations; and

 

DOH, in conjunction with the HPC, must report the findings of this study to the Legislative Health and Human Services Committee by November 2004 and transmit two copies of the report to the Legislative Council Service Library.

 

Significant Issues

 

The Department of Health reports:

 

HJM 34 supports the work of the 2002 House Joint Memorial 61 (HJM 61) taskforce which was convened to explore methods to standardize the licensing and credentialing of health care providers and the 2003 House Bill 968 (HB 968) taskforce which continued the work of HJM 61 and added funding for information technology support.

 

Several Acts have been previously implemented to support SJM 34.  They are:

 

·        Health Service Corps Act, to recruit health professionals for rural and medically underserved areas;

·        Medical Student Loan for Service Act, to meet health professional shortage needs in less populated areas of New Mexico; and

·        Health Professional Loan Repayment Act, to provide educational repayment in exchange for working in health professional shortage areas.

 

HJM 34 would also further the work of the DOH, particularly in the implementation of several recommendations made by participants of the June 2001 Health Care Workforce Conference which included improving workforce data systems, coordinating workforce planning and policy efforts, developing state workforce partnerships, and expanding health professional education programs to meet the emerging needs of the State. SJM 34 would also require collaboration of workforce issues with other state agencies as well as health professional boards and associations.

 

The Health Policy Commission adds:

 

Numerous and varied efforts to address recruitment and retention issues, coordinated and funded by a large variety of public and private entities, are currently taking place. These efforts include, but are not limited to:

 

·        Implementation of the Geographic Access Database by the NM Health Policy Commission under 7.1.23 NMAC 1978, a centralized system for monitoring health professional supply and distribution;

·        Administration of federal and state-funded loan for service, loan repayment and educational incentive programs by the Commission of Higher Education and the Department of Health;

·        Locum tenens and rural provider rotations as part of the University of NM Medical School outreach and service programs;

·        Recent completion of a report and recommendations from a Licensing and Credentialing taskforce aimed at reducing barriers to healthcare licensing issues in the state;

·        Recent conferences and taskforces for all or within specific professions including physicians, nurses and dentists that address workforce–related issues.

 

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

 

Each agency involved would have some additional administrative functions attached to the study.

 

MW/dm