(1) The Employment Department, in consultation with health care industry employers, shall perform a statewide and regional needs assessment for health care occupations to identify emerging occupations and occupations for which there is high demand or a shortage of workers. The assessment shall be performed as necessary on a periodic basis, as determined by the department, in consultation with industry employers. To perform the needs assessment, the department may consider any reliable data sources available to the department.

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(2) Based on the needs assessment, the Higher Education Coordinating Commission shall inform the community colleges, public universities listed in ORS § 352.002, Oregon Health and Science University and health care industry employers of the identified statewide needs and invite the development of health care education programs that are responsive to those needs.

(3) When approving health care education programs, the commission, the governing board of a public university listed in ORS § 352.002 and the Oregon Health and Science University Board of Directors shall use the statewide needs assessment to evaluate whether a program fulfills statewide needs. If the commission or the board determines there is a statewide need, the commission or the board shall facilitate the:

(a) Coordination of new health care education programs and existing health care education programs that are similar to the new health care education programs to address the statewide need; and

(b) Alignment of health care education programs relating to statewide access, student transferability between programs, course articulation and common student learning outcomes for health care education programs.

(4) In the development and approval of health care education programs, community colleges, public universities, Oregon Health and Science University, the commission, the governing board of a public university listed in ORS § 352.002 and the Oregon Health and Science University Board of Directors shall consider issues related to statewide access, student transferability between programs, course articulation and common student learning outcomes for health care education programs. The community colleges, public universities, Oregon Health and Science University and commission shall continue to provide and improve upon an effective articulation and transfer framework for students in Oregon’s post-secondary sectors. [2005 c.202 § 1; 2011 c.637 206,206a; 2013 c.747 § 140; 2013 c.768 § 36; 2015 c.767 § 218]

348.900 was enacted into law by the Legislative Assembly but was not added to or made a part of ORS Chapter 348 or any series therein by legislative action. See Preface to Oregon Revised Statutes for further explanation.