Health Care Workforce Development

Curt Freed, Chair

Benton and Franklin Counties have experienced the same health care worker shortage as the rest of the United States. In the summer of 2001, the Tri-Cities Health Care Task Force (as the Alliance was then named) spearheaded an effort to raise $150,000 for an expanded nursing program at Columbia Basin College. The Tri-Cities community generously responded to the plea and the expansion was funded.

Subsequently, the Alliance sought a more permanent and sustainable solution to the health care worker shortage. It became the subcontractor on a SKILLS Grant through the Benton-Franklin Workforce Development Council to lead the local effort to address the problem. The Alliance created a project team including the health care industry, education, labor and other community members. The team examined labor data, determined local employer and community needs, established priorities, developed a plan to meet the prioritized needs and implemented the plan, which called for increased local training capacity for health care professionals and a full and diverse pipeline of young people interested in, and prepared for, health care careers.

The Alliance has been successful in working with local educational partners to develop additional educational capacity. Columbia Basin College has almost doubled the size of its nursing program and WSU-Tri-Cities has started a Generic BSN program which graduates two classes each year. The total nursing education capacity has almost tripled since 2001. In addition, Columbia Basin College has responded to local employer needs by developing and implementing a radiology technology program and other programs as needed.

Visit our website at www.healthcareworx.org.

Annual Reports

All reports require the free Adobe Acrobat Reader program to view or print. To download visit Adobe Acrobat.

2007 Workforce Development Committee Annual Report

2006 Workforce Development Committee Annual Report

		Home Directors Community Council Access to Care Domestic Violence Food and Fitness Health Care Workforce Mental Health Oral Health Patient Safety Coalition Tobacco Use Other Initiatives News	Links Contact Us Mission To assess community health needs and to facilitate collaborative, community-wide solutions that provide affordable, high quality wellness and accessible health care to all residents of the Mid-Columbia.
	Health Care Workforce Development Curt Freed, Chair Benton and Franklin Counties have experienced the same health care worker shortage as the rest of the United States. In the summer of 2001, the Tri-Cities Health Care Task Force (as the Alliance was then named) spearheaded an effort to raise $150,000 for an expanded nursing program at Columbia Basin College. The Tri-Cities community generously responded to the plea and the expansion was funded. Subsequently, the Alliance sought a more permanent and sustainable solution to the health care worker shortage. It became the subcontractor on a SKILLS Grant through the Benton-Franklin Workforce Development Council to lead the local effort to address the problem. The Alliance created a project team including the health care industry, education, labor and other community members. The team examined labor data, determined local employer and community needs, established priorities, developed a plan to meet the prioritized needs and implemented the plan, which called for increased local training capacity for health care professionals and a full and diverse pipeline of young people interested in, and prepared for, health care careers. The Alliance has been successful in working with local educational partners to develop additional educational capacity. Columbia Basin College has almost doubled the size of its nursing program and WSU-Tri-Cities has started a Generic BSN program which graduates two classes each year. The total nursing education capacity has almost tripled since 2001. In addition, Columbia Basin College has responded to local employer needs by developing and implementing a radiology technology program and other programs as needed. Visit our website at www.healthcareworx.org. Annual Reports All reports require the free Adobe Acrobat Reader program to view or print. To download visit Adobe Acrobat. 2007 Workforce Development Committee Annual Report 2006 Workforce Development Committee Annual Report

Mission

Health Care Workforce Development

Annual Reports