Adopted

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO 1 PROPOSED TO

Senate Bill No. 2371

BY: Committee

AMEND by inserting the following new section after line 332 and renumbering the succeeding sections:

"    SECTION 10.  (1)  The Office of Workforce Development shall establish and administer the Mississippi Allied Health College and Career Navigator Grant Program for the purpose of hiring professionals, or navigators, to provide individual assistance and guidance to students to assist them in many areas, from maneuvering challenges while enrolled in college programs and understanding the job market to working through course challenges, and to help retain and graduate nursing and allied health students, at community and junior colleges.  Such navigators must be at least a registered nurse with at least two (2) years of experience in nursing.  The grant program shall be funded from monies appropriated by the Legislature for that purpose.   

     (2)  The Office of Workforce Development shall prescribe the terms and conditions of the grant program.  To be eligible to receive a grant from the Office of Workforce Development under the grant program, a community college shall provide the following information:

          (a) The number of nursing or allied health students who will be served by the program;  

          (b)   A plan to provide data on participation and outcomes of the program, including a plan to report outcomes to the office throughout the funding commitment; and

          (c)  Any other information that the office determines is necessary.

     (3)  The Office of Workforce Development may use a maximum of five percent (5%) of funds appropriated for the program for the administration of the program.

     (4)  The Office of Workforce Development shall submit an annual report on the grant program to the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Chair of the House Workforce Development Committee and the Chair of the Senate Economic and Workforce Development Committee.  The report shall contain a detailed explanation of how many community or junior colleges applied for the grants, how many navigator positions were filled and whether the retention rate for allied health workers has improved since implementing a navigator.  The community or junior college that received grants from the program shall assist the office in completing the reporting requirement."

AMEND further by striking "9" on line 333 and inserting in lieu thereof "10".

AMEND title to conform.