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Iowa Health Workforce Center - Home

Who We Are

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) coordinates public and private efforts to develop and maintain an appropriate health care delivery infrastructure and a stable, well-qualified, diverse, and sustainable health care workforce in Iowa. The health care delivery infrastructure and the health care workforce must address the broad array of health care needs of Iowans throughout their lifespan including long-term care needs.

The Department is required to: develop a strategic plan for health care delivery infrastructure and health care workforce resources in Iowa; provide for continuous collection of data to provide a basis for health care strategic planning and health care policymaking; and make recommendations on the health care delivery infrastructure and the health care workforce that assist in monitoring current needs, predicting future trends, and informing policymaking.

The Iowa Health Workforce Center is the IDPH unit designed to coordinate this work. The Center will staff the Health and Long-Term Care Access Advisory Council established in House File 2539 Health Care Reform legislation.

The Iowa Health Workforce Center will soon establish a new mission and strategic goals consistent with recommendations from stakeholders obtained at the Health and Long-Term Care Workforce Summit in November 2007 and with guidance from the Health and Long-Term Care Access Advisory Council.

History

On July 23, 2002, the U. S. Congress passed Public Law 107-116 that authorized $1.1 million to be directed to the Iowa Department of Public Health to establish a Center for Health Workforce Planning. Funding for the center was a result of the efforts of U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) fueled by the work of Governor Tom Vilsack's Task Force on Nursing Shortage, the Iowa Council of Nurses, the Iowa Care Givers Association and others. Federal funding is administered through the Bureau of Health Professions, Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In 2003, Public Law 108-07 authorized an additional $993,500 to sustain the work of the center for a second 12-month period. On September 29, 2004, the center was awarded a third grant in the amount of $762,724 to continue its activities through August 31, 2005. Finally, a fourth grant in the amount of $1,374,892 was awarded through August 31, 2006 and later extended to December 31, 2006.

Goals

  • Expand the Iowa Nurse Tracking System to all counties in Iowa and other health workers.
  • Support best practices for recruitment and retention of health workers.
  • Conduct data collection and sharing about the health workforce in Iowa.
  • Serve as a central point of contact for health workforce supply and demand in Iowa.
  • Support federal initiatives to designate shortage areas for nurses and other health workers.

Contact Information

Iowa Health Workforce Center
Iowa Dept of Public Health
321 East 12th St., 4th fl. Lucas Bldg
Des Moines, IA 50319
(515) 954-5674
FAX (515) 242-6384