(a)
The department shall maintain a Health Professions Career Opportunity Program that shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
(1)
Implementing programs at colleges and universities selected by the department, which may include public and private institutions.
(A)
In selecting campuses for the programs, the department shall give priority to campuses in medically underserved areas or with students from groups underrepresented in medicine, demonstrated commitment to diversity and associated institutional change, a track record of providing tailored student support, and strong health professions school partnerships.
(B)
The department may enter into contracts, to meet the requirements of this article, with nonprofit entities headquartered in California that have previous experience with administering statewide workforce programs aimed at building a diverse provider workforce.
(C)
The programs shall include one or both of the following:
(i)
Pipeline programs that provide comprehensive academic enrichment, career development, mentorship, and advising in order to support students from underrepresented regions and backgrounds to pursue
health careers. This may include internships and fellowships to enable students to compete for admission to graduate health professions schools or employment in the health field, including, but not limited to, both of the following:
(I)
Paid summer internships for students interning in community health centers, public health departments, public behavioral health settings, and with geriatric providers, as well as community-based initiatives that promote health equity.
(II)
One-year postundergraduate fellowships for in-depth, pregraduate school experience in primary care and prevention, behavioral health, and geriatric health.
(ii)
Annual postbaccalaureate reapplicant slots and the provision of student scholarships for reapplicant postbaccalaureate students to cover program tuition.
(2)
Producing and disseminating a series of publications aimed at informing and motivating minority and disadvantaged students to pursue health professional careers.
(3)
Conducting a conference series aimed at informing students of opportunities in health professional training and mechanisms of successfully preparing to enter the training.
(4)
Providing support and technical assistance to health professional schools and colleges as well as to student and community organizations active in health professional development of underrepresented groups in medicine.
(5)
Conducting relevant health workforce information and data analysis regarding underrepresented groups in medicine.
(6)
Providing
necessary consultation, recruitment, and counseling through other means.
(7)
Supporting and encouraging health professionals in training who are from underrepresented groups to practice in health professional shortage areas of California.
(b)
This section shall be implemented only to the extent that funds are appropriated for its purposes in the annual Budget Act or other statute.
