Purpose of the Bill

The bill aims to support workforce development in rural areas of Minnesota, specifically targeting the oncology care sector. The main purpose is to address the shortage of cancer care professionals in these areas.

Main Provisions

• The bill proposes to allocate $300,000 annually for the fiscal years 2026 and 2027.
• The funds will be appropriated from the workforce development fund to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.
• The department will offer a grant to the Rural Cancer Institute.
• This grant will support a pilot program focused on expanding the clinical workforce for oncology care in rural districts.
• The program is designed to increase the number of healthcare professionals skilled in cancer care in these regions.
• It includes a training component for health care students to equip them with the necessary skills to address the unique challenges of rural cancer care.
• The program will utilize a community-based model to expand the oncology workforce and directly tackle workforce shortages.

Significant Changes

• Initiation of a new pilot program specifically targeted at expanding the oncology care workforce in rural districts, which is a response to the identified shortage of clinicians in these areas.

Relevant Terms

• Workforce development
• Oncology care
• Rural Cancer Institute
• Cancer care workforce
• Community-based model
• Rural districts
• Clinical workforce