About  Maryland Statewide Commission on the Shortage in the Health Care Workforce (MSCSHW)

VISION:

The Maryland Statewide Commission on the Shortage in the Health Care Workforce (MSCSHW) envisions a state in which there is an adequate supply of health care workers to assure access to quality health care for all Maryland citizens.

MISSION:   

In fulfillment of the 2006 House Bill 1127 legislation, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene supports the operation of the MSCSHW to determine the current extent of the health care workforce shortage in Maryland with an evaluation of mechanisms currently available and elsewhere intended to enhance education, recruitment, and retention of health care workers.   

GOAL:

The MSCSHW shall make recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly to facilitate the development of policies to help implement health workforce strategies to enhance institutional capacity, educational programs, and funding mechanisms and needs within the health care environment to retain health care workers. 

OBJECTIVES:

·         Determine the current extent of the health care workforce shortage in Maryland;

·         Examine what changes are needed to enhance institutional capacity to increase student enrollment and graduate rates and to enhance existing educational and scholarship programs and funding mechanism to provide incentives for individuals to enter the health care workforce; 

·         Examine what changes are needed within the health care environment to retain workers;

·         Identify methods to recruit minorities and high school students into health care workforce, recruit and facilitate the long-term retention of health care workers in rural and underserved areas in Maryland, and facilitate career advancement and retention of health care workers; and