The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #68921

Ellen M Morrison, PhD¹, SA Chapman, PhD¹, JA Showstack, PhD, MPH², and Lorraine Y Woo, BS¹. (1) Center for the Health Professions, University of California, San Francisco, 3333 California Street, Suite 410, San Francisco, CA 94118, (2) Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California San Francisco, 3333 California Street, Suite 265, San Francisco, CA 94118

The University of California San Francisco’s Center for the Health Professions, with the support from The California Endowment and the California HealthCare Foundation, selected and funded twenty-two model programs seeking to address education and workplace issues related to allied and auxiliary health care workers in California. The projects were funded from February, 2001 through December, 2002. Grant amounts ranged from $27,000 to $200,000. These programs ranged from a Registered Dietician scholarship/internship program for California WIC (Women Infants & Children nutrition program) staff members, to upgrade and life-skills training for community health clinic workers, to interactive web-based cultural competency learning software for students and current health care workers. One program recruited 41 students from San Francisco’s poorest and most violent communities--public housing projects--and provided training, transportation and support while students progressed through preparatory classes for health care occupations. Two academic institutions made changes to their recruitment and support programs that resulted in a near doubling in enrollment and increases in diversity to achieve greater than 60% non-Caucasian student populations. Many of these model programs are ready to replicate at regional, state, and national levels. The presentation will share insights from the final evaluation of the model programs and include discussion of key issues and concerns, sustainability, and potential impact.

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion of the session, participants will be able to:
• * Identify isssues impacting efforts to increase diversity in the health care workforce
• * Describe critical challenges in curriculum development, recruitment, and retention of health care workers

Keywords: Public Policy, Education

Related Web page: www.alliedhealthworkers.com

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.