Bill Text: HI SR50 | 2016 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: High School Health Academies

Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 13-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-03-29 - Report adopted, referred to WAM. [SR50 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2016-SR50-Introduced.html

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THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	50
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2016
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE RESOLUTION

 

 

requesting the creation of high school health academies statewide.

 

 

     WHEREAS, Act 18, Special Session Laws of Hawaii 2009, required the John A. Burns School of Medicine to report findings and recommendations detailing an assessment of the physician workforce prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2011 and every odd-numbered year thereafter; and

 

     WHEREAS, the John A. Burns School of Medicine's January 2015 Hawaii Physician Workforce Assessment reports that:

 

     (1)  The physician workforce in Hawaii has decreased from 2,894 full-time equivalent physicians providing patient care in 2013 to 2,802 full-time equivalent physicians in 2014;

 

     (2)  The minimum current demand, not taking into account shortages of non-physician clinicians in Hawaii or the oversupply of some specialties artificially decreasing demand, is 3,276 full-time equivalent physicians to meet the needs of an equivalent demographic population elsewhere in America;

 

     (3)  When specialty-specific shortages are considered individually and the excess of physicians in areas of surplus are excluded from the calculation, the shortage of physicians is estimated at 655 full-time equivalent physicians, which indicates a continuing shortage of twenty percent of full-time equivalent physicians statewide; and

 

     (4)  A best case scenario for future workforce numbers is that by 2020, Hawaii will have a shortage of 800 full-time equivalent physicians; and

 

     WHEREAS, given the impending, significant physician shortage, this body recognizes an opportunity for Hawaii's public school system to make significant contributions to a health care workforce in the State; and

 

     WHEREAS, established in 1991, the Farrington High School Health Academy (Farrington Health Academy) is a business/education partnership built on a health-related theme that provides a transition to higher education and entry level employment; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Farrington Health Academy offers a three-year interdisciplinary program that is open to incoming sophomores and juniors who are interested in developing career interests in health care and in preparing for entry level positions in health occupations or further schooling in the health field; and

 

     WHEREAS, in 1996, the Farrington Health Academy was one of twelve schools honored to receive the United States Department of Education Secretary's Award for Outstanding Vocational Technical Education Program; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Farrington Health Academy business/education partnership includes the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, the University of Hawaii, Kapiolani Community College, John A. Burns School of Medicine, and other healthcare facilities in the community, and receives support from healthcare partners in areas such as curriculum development, job shadowing opportunities, clinical experience, mock interviews, writing assessment, guest speakers, and other in-kind support; and

 

     WHEREAS, this body applauds the Farrington Health Academy for continuing to foster the development of home-grown health care professionals; and

 

     WHEREAS, this body endorses the establishment of health academies in high schools statewide by following the model the Farrington Health Academy has set to help accommodate the growing need for health care professionals in Hawaii; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-eighth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2016, that the Department of Education, Department of Health, and health care industry are requested to establish health academies at high schools throughout the State by following the model of the Farrington High School Health Academy; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Education, Superintendent of Education, and Director of Health, who is requested to disseminate copies to entities within the health care industry.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title: 

High School Health Academies