California Office of Statewide Health Planning & Development

Healthcare Workforce Development Division

Song-Brown Program

The Song-Brown Health Care Workforce Training Act (Song-Brown Program) was established in 1973 under the Health and Safety Code Section 128200-128241 of the California Health and Safety Code to increase the number of health professional training slots in established medical schools. The program:

• Encourages universities and primary care health professionals to provide healthcare in medically underserved areas, and
• Provides financial support to family practice residency, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, and registered nurse (RN) education programs throughout California

The Song-Brown program is aided by the California Healthcare Workforce Policy Commission (CHWPC). CHWPC is a 15-member citizen advisory board that provides expert guidance and statewide perspectives on health professional education issues, reviews applications and recommends contract awards. The CHWPC meets (go to Public Meetings) three times annually.

OSHPD provides administrative support to the CHWPC and the accredited training programs by executing contracts, facilitating Public Meetings, performing site visits, and assisting with periodic review and updates of Medical Service Study Areas.

Annual Application Process

Accredited training programs must submit applications on a periodic basis to continue to receive program funding. At present, 28 California family practice residency programs and 14 physician assistant/family nurse practitioner programs receive on-going support from the Song-Brown program. Song-Brown currently funds 30 registered nurse education programs (ADNs, BSNs and MSNs) to improve access to healthcare services. The Song-Brown Program does not provide funding to individual students.

Announcements!

Song-Brown Program FAQ's coming soon!

Application Information

• Payee Data Record required to accompany all RFA's can be found here.
• Registered Nurse Shortage Areas: Map | Report | Methodology
  The methodology was approved by the Commission on May 4, 2011
• HPSA, MUA, MUP information can be found here.
• Primary Care Shortage Areas: map | methodology
  The methodology was approved by the Commission on February 9, 2011

Archive Updates

• September 21, 2011 News Release to August 3-4, 2011 Awards Notice
• April 14, 2011 News Release to February 9-10, 2011 Awards Notice
• September 29, 2010 News Release to August 3-4, 2010 Awards Notice
• March 29, 2010 News Release to February 9-10, 2010 Awards Notice
• February 2, 2010 News Release to November 9, 2009 Awards Notice

Contacts:

Manuela Lachica, Song-Brown Program Director
Telephone: (916) 326-3752
Email: Manuela.Lachica@oshpd.ca.gov

Melissa Omand, Program Analyst
Family Physician Residency Programs
Family Nurse Practitioner
Physician Assistant Training Programs
Telephone: (916) 326-3753
Email: Melissa.Omand@oshpd.ca.gov

Yolanda Avalos-Troyer, Program Analyst
Registered Nurse Education Programs
Physician Assistant Mental Health Special Programs
Telephone: (916) 326-3754
Email: Yolanda.Avalos-Troyer@oshpd.ca.gov