Healthcare Personnel Shortage Fact Sheet

What is the Task Force?

The Health Care Personnel Shortage Task Force is comprised of 20 leaders from business, labor, education, and government. Their goal is to address the severe current and projected shortages of health care personnel in Washington State. The 2002 Task Force Report, Health Care Personnel Shortages: Crisis or Opportunity? outlines a strategic plan for the Legislature, state and local agencies, educators, labor, employers, and workers with 6 goals, 40 strategies, and 16 outcome measures. In 2003, the Legislature passed Engrossed Senate House Bill 1852 directing the Workforce Board to continue convening the Task Force to monitor progress on the state plan and report to the Legislature annually.

What does the Task Force do?

The Task Force develops goals, objectives and strategies designed to effectively address the health care workforce shortage in Washington State. Specifically, it is charged with:

• Increasing the number of people entering health care professions
• Increasing the capacity of health care education and training programs
• Modifying state regulations and statutes to alleviate the shortage
• Considering rural health care workforce issues
• Increasing the racial and ethnic diversity of the health care workforce
• Monitoring progress on the state plan

Who are the Task Force members?

Michelle Johnson, Chair, Chancello9r, Pierce College
Bill Gray, Vice Chair, Washington State University – Spokane
Lorelee Bauer, Group Health Cooperative
Dana Duzan, Allied Health Professionals
Charlie Earl, State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
Ben Flores, Washington Association of Community and Migrant Health Centers
Joan Garner, Washington State Nurses Association
Troy Hutson, Washington State Hospital Association
Kyra Kester, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
Ben Knecht, Washington State Medical Association
Frankie Manning, Washington State Board of Health
Kathy McVay, Washington Rural Health Association
Jeff Mero, Association of Washington Public Hospital Districts
Deb Murphy, Washington Association of Housing and Services for the Aging
Ellen O’Brien Saunders, Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board
Rick K. Ouhl, Washington State Dental Association
Mary Selecky, Department of Health
Diane Sosne, Service Employees International Union
Jim Sulton
Higher Education Coordinating Board
Diane Zahn, United Food and Commercial Workers Union

For more information, contact Madeleine Thompson, Task Force staff, at 360.753.5653, mthompson@wtb.wa.gov.