THECB Releases Healthcare Workforce Task Force Recommendations

Office of the Texas Governor | Greg Abbott | Press Release

Governor Greg Abbott announced the release of the Healthcare Workforce Task Force’s comprehensive report with their recommendations to address healthcare workforce shortages in Texas to meet the demands of our growing state.

“Training the next generation of healthcare professionals is critical to provide quality medical care and increased access to all Texans,” said Governor Abbott. “Texas has invested millions in job training grants to help prepare students for high-demand, good-paying jobs in our healthcare industry, but we must do more to address this workforce shortage. As Texas continues to grow, it is critical that we bolster our healthcare industry with a highly skilled workforce that will support the health of Texans and drive our booming economy to even greater heights. I thank the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Task Force Chair Victoria Ford, and the qualified group of experts, industry leaders, and higher education representatives for tackling our healthcare workforce shortage issue head on. Working together, we will build an even bigger, better healthcare workforce for generations to come.”

“I would like to thank Governor Abbott for giving me the opportunity to serve as Chair,” said Task Force Chair Victoria Ford. “I am honored to have had the opportunity to work with the task force and members of the advisory committees and appreciate the time they took to contribute their expertise and very real-world experience to this important project. The recommendations included in this report are designed to lay the foundation to grow a strong healthcare workforce in Texas, in both the short-term and the long-term.”

Earlier this year, Governor Abbott directed the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) to create the Healthcare Workforce Task Force to address healthcare workforce shortages as the state grows. Victoria Ford was appointed as Chair of the 12-member task force which examined the training, resources, and education needed to address this challenge.

Over the last five months, the task force engaged over 70 subject matter experts, 50 stakeholders, and seven state agencies to evaluate the healthcare workforce shortage and identify the state’s role in addressing the challenges. The recommendations present a systematic approach to create and expand high-quality opportunities in healthcare education, ensure available workforce data is accurate and comprehensive, and further innovate to adapt and evolve the healthcare workforce to continue meeting the needs of Texans.

The Healthcare Workforce Task Force recommendations include:

• Coordinate state healthcare workforce planning more effectively by creating the Statewide Health Professions Workforce Coordinating Council (HPWCC).
• Expand the number of pharmacy technicians in Texas.
• Create a start–up fund for sponsors of apprenticeship programs.
• Improve the alignment of curriculum for credentials between high school and university programs.
• Expand the availability of instructional materials for health professions related courses and career and technical education (CTE) programs.
• Study the feasibility of community colleges to offer 4-year programs for health professionals in specific circumstances.
• Streamline the nursing school application process by including nursing school programs in the Texas Medical & Dental Schools Application Services.
• Create a Gold Ribbon Panel on the Future of Nursing.
• Improve the alignment of the nursing profession career pathway.
• Create a clear career pathway for certain allied health professionals into the nursing profession.
• Create a program evaluation unit to research and identify the most effective innovations in education and training of health care professionals.
• Continue investment in scholarship and loan repayment programs.

View the full Healthcare Workforce Task Force report and recommendations here.