HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 136

(By Delegate Anderson, Andes, Armstead, Ashley, Azinger,

Barill, Barker, Boggs, Border, Brown, Butcher,

D.Campbell, T.Campbell, Canterbury, Caputo, Carmichael,

 Cowles, Craig, Doyle, Duke, Ellington, Ennis, Evans, Ferns,

 Ferro, Fleischauer, Fragale, Frazier, Gearheart, Givens,

Guthrie, Hall, Hamilton, Hartman, Hatfield, Hunt, Iaquinta, Ireland, Jones, Kominar, Kump, Lawrence, Manypenny, Martin, Moore, Morgan, Nelson, Pasdon, Perdue, Perry, Pethtel, L.Phillips, R. Phillips, Pino, D.Poling, Poore, Reynolds, Rodighiero, Romine, Rowan, Savilla, Shaver, Sigler, Skaff, Snuffer, Staggers, Storch, Stowers, Swartzmiller, Talbott, Varner, Walters, Wells and Williams)

Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to study the rural health initiative to determine the most effective manner to provide rural health opportunities in the state, the impact of changing the infrastructure of consortia, the impact on rural health services, the method of coordination of services between the schools and communities, the rural health opportunities for mid-level practitioners and other areas determined by the study participants.

    Whereas, A continual need exists to enhance and preserve adequate health care for persons residing in rural areas of the state; and

    Whereas, The rural health initiative was created in 1991 to bring health care professional students into rural areas to expose them to practice opportunities in these areas; and

    Whereas, In the twenty years since its inception, this program has brought hundred of students into rural West Virginia to experience rural healthcare in practice; and

    Whereas, Changing the infrastructure and funding of this program could adversely affect the progress that this program has made to rural health care; therefore, be it

    Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

    That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is hereby requested to study the rural health initiative to determine the most effective manner to provide rural health opportunities in the state, the impact of changing the infrastructure of consortia, the impact on rural health services, the method of coordination of services between the schools and communities, the rural health opportunities for mid-level practitioners and other areas determined by the study participants; and, be it

    Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance shall work with a representative of each of the medical schools, two representatives of the existing consortia, two providers of rural health rotations for the medical schools and two individuals who have participated in the rural health initiative and are current students or recent graduates; and, be it

    Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance Report to the regular session of the Legislature, 2012, on its findings, conclusions and recommendations, together with drafts of any legislation necessary to effectuate its recommendations; and, be it

    Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this study, to prepare a report and to draft necessary legislation be paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance.