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Mission
Statement and Background
MISSION:
To build a bridge between the pool of internationally trained health
workers living in California and the need for linguistically and
culturally competent health services in underserved communities.
BACKGROUND:
Welcome Back is a statewide initiative offering counseling and educational
programs to internationally trained health professionals. This includes
assistance in obtaining appropriate licenses, credentials, orientation
and job placement to work in the US health care system, and development
of US-specific leadership, management and advocacy skills among
immigrant health professionals.
As California becomes the most diverse state in the Nation, the
Welcome Back Centers are very excited with the opportunity to work
with its immigrant communities and build on their many assets.
One of the challenges currently facing the health sector is the
lack of culturally and linguistically diverse health professionals.
This is especially true for the "safety net", community
based and public health clinics and health services agencies who
are often times the sole providers of health services for immigrant
communities. It is well known that important aspects of care, such
as treatment adherence and patient satisfaction improve significantly
when we narrow the cultural and linguistic gap between the health
services providers and their patients and clients. This is true
for all health professionals: social workers, nurses, dentists,
doctors, nutritionists, pharmacists, psychologists, etc.
This is the fundamental premise behind the Welcome Back Initiative:
becoming a part of the solution. By assisting internationally trained
health professionals in the process of re-entering the health workforce,
we will be infusing the health system with a cadre of culturally
and linguistically diverse workers that will allow the health sector
to provide better services.
What exactly is Welcome Back?
It is a statewide initiative funded by The California Endowment
to assist internationally trained health professionals living in
California. San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego received funding
to establish a center in their respective counties.
What Services will Welcome Back Centers provide?
Our centers will provide orientation, counseling and support to
internationally trained health care workers. The centers will assist
each individual in developing a career path plan that builds on
their skills, experience and education. In addition to orientation
and support in obtaining the appropriate professional credentials
and licenses for their profession, participants will be presented
with other options or alternatives to consider. These options may
include, choosing a different health occupation offered through
a Community College or State University or focusing their skills
and experience in the areas of health care management, research,
advocacy or policy.
What else will Welcome Back Centers provide?
An important aspect of the Welcome Back Initiative is the evaluation
component. The actual number of internationally trained health care
professionals living in California is not known. The Welcome Back
Initiative seeks to learn the number of these health professionals
in California, what their professions are and what have been the
barriers that professionals have experienced in trying to practice
their profession or enter the health care delivery sector. The Welcome
Back Initiative seeks to engage internationally trained health professionals
in identifying solutions and making policy recommendations that
address the barriers they have experienced. An example of a solution
could be the development of "fast track" programs within
colleges and universities that realistically credit professionals
education and experience, is of short term duration and affordable,
and leads to a license to practice the profession. The active involvement
of participants in developing possible solutions and policy recommendations
is key for the success of the initiative.
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