Chapter 202 Oregon Laws 2005

AN ACT

SB 882

Relating to the education of a health care workforce.

Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:

SECTION 1. (1) The Employment Department, in consultation with health care industry employers, shall perform a statewide and regional needs assessment for health care occupations to identify emerging occupations and occupations for which there is high demand or a shortage of workers. The assessment shall be performed as necessary on a periodic basis, as determined by the department, in consultation with industry employers. To perform the needs assessment, the department may consider any reliable data sources available to the department.

(2) Based on the needs assessment, the Joint Boards of Education shall inform community colleges, state institutions of higher education within the Oregon University System, Oregon Health and Science University and health care industry employers of the identified statewide needs and invite the development of health care education programs that are responsive to those needs.

(3) When approving health care education programs, the State Board of Education, the State Board of Higher Education and the Oregon Health and Science University Board of Directors shall use the statewide needs assessment to evaluate whether a program fulfills statewide needs. If a board determines there is a statewide need, the board shall facilitate the:

(a) Coordination of new health care education programs and existing health care education programs that are similar to the new health care education programs to address the statewide need; and

(b) Alignment of health care education programs relating to statewide access, student transferability between programs, course articulation and common student learning outcomes for health care education programs.

(4) In the development and approval of health care education programs, community colleges, state institutions of higher education, Oregon Health and Science University, the State Board of Education, the State Board of Higher Education and the Oregon Health and Science University Board of Directors shall consider issues related to statewide access, student transferability between programs, course articulation and common student learning outcomes for health care education programs. The colleges, institutions, university and boards shall continue to provide and improve upon an effective articulation and transfer framework for students in Oregon’s post-secondary sectors.

Approved by the Governor June 9, 2005

Filed in the office of Secretary of State June 9, 2005

Effective date January 1, 2006

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