138D90574674E4CD87258782006224CF Hearing Summary

Steve Holloway, Director, Health Access Branch, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), presented on CDPHE's role in the collection workforce data. Mr. Holloway provide three handouts to the committee, which can be viewed on the committee website at:

• https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/3.1_cdphe_public_health_health_care.pdf
• https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/5.1_cdphe_colorado_health_service_corps_fact_sheet_1.16.20.pdf
• https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/5.2_cdphe_hpsa.pdf

Mr. Holloway discussed the CDPHE website tool that shows access to providers across the state.

Lee Wheeler Berliner, Managing Director, Colorado Workforce Development Council, presented on health care workforce shortages and employer needs.  His presentation slides may be viewed on the committee website at  https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/3.3_cdle_presentation.pdf.  Mr. Wheeler Berliner discussed industry projections for health care providers and indicated that there is expect growth in the health care and social assistance industry of 29.69 percent between 2020 and 2030.  He pointed out that health care providers are Colorado's fastest growing occupation group after Computer and Mathematical occupational groups

Michele Shimomura, Director, Office of Public Health Practice, Planning, & Local Partnerships, CDPHE, discussed the public health workforce. She discussed the barriers that public health agencies face when hiring and retaining staff, including the mental health toll of working in public health, low salaries, and lack of advancement in opportunity.  Ms. Shimomura's presentation slides are available on the committee's webpage at https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/3.2_cdphe_workforce.pdf. She discussed the public health workforce distribution and composition. She spoke about steps that can be taken to support the public health system.

Michael Nicoletti, Director of Legislative Affairs, Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), presented the timeline for issuing provider licenses and streamlining the licensure process. His presentation slides may be viewed on the committee website at  https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/3.3_cdle_presentation.pdf.  Mr. Nicoletti discussed actions DORA took to reduce licensing barriers for health care workers during COVID, including emergency licensure, suspending educational requirements, and expanding scope of practice.

The panel responded to committee questions related to the following: the number of emergency health care provider licenses issued by DORA;  the Colorado Health Service Corps' lack of diverse applicants and ideas for increasing diversity in the education pool; wages for Certified Nursing Assistants; programs in CDPHE that provide supports to medical professional that are not covered by the Health Service Corps; health care provider burnout and the need to focus on developing resiliency tools; and the additional workload placed on the public health community during the pandemic.

Representative Lontine recessed the meeting.