Sacramento, CA — Gov. Gavin Newsom’s latest initiative aims to elevate response efforts of facilities and health care professionals to surging COVID-19 cases.
On Monday, Newsom announced the formation and debut of the California Health Corps, to expand the state’s health care workforce and recruit those holding active licenses. He also outlined plans for health care facilities to expand operations, making available an additional 50,000 hospital beds for COVID-19 patients.
Among those encouraged to read more information and register online are public health professionals, medical retirees, medical and nursing students, and members of medical disaster response teams in California.
Along with medical doctors, nurses and respiratory therapists, the corps is also recruiting behavioral health scientists, dentists, pharmacists, EMTs, medical and administrative assistants, and certified nursing assistants.
“California’s health care workers are the heroes of this moment, serving on the front lines in the fight against this disease,” Newsom states. “To treat the rising number of patients with COVID-19, our state needs more workers in the health care field to join the fight. If you have a background in health care, we need your help.”
The corps is also aiming to tap unemployed health care workers and under-employed foreign medical graduates to help build the workforce needed to fight the pandemic while bringing new opportunities and jobs for Californians who may be struggling with unemployment.
The online recruitment portal indicates that health care professionals hired will be paid and receive malpractice insurance coverage. While service locations will vary, officials state they will try to match applicants’ geographical preferences.
For more details and to register for the California Health Corps, click here.