During his Jan. 6 state of the state address, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) announced the launch of the $500 million California Jobs Initiative. The program aims to create jobs and train new workers in health care and other fields.
Officials say the work force training effort is likely to benefit California’s health care system by bolstering the ranks of allied health workers.
In a California Healthline Special Report by David Gorn, experts discussed the need for growth in the state’s health care work force.
The Special Report includes comments from:
- Jay Bhattacharya, associate professor at Stanford University’s Center for Health Policy; and
- Cathy Martin, work force project director at the California Hospital Association.
Experts say national health care reform and California’s aging population could continue to drive up demand for health workers over the coming years (Gorn, California Healthline, 1/11).