Governor Mary Fallin has announced that the National Governors Association has chosen Oklahoma as one of two states to receive technical assistance regarding using existing Medicaid funds to meet state workforce requirements in underserved areas of the state.

The technical assistance program, “Connecting Medicaid to Health Workforce” will provide expert consultation to assist Oklahoma agency leaders in developing a plan to use Medicaid funds to address state health workforce needs, particularly in rural and medically underserved areas.

Oklahoma faces the significant challenges of an aging physician workforce and an alarming shortage of primary care providers for those in the greatest need.

Governor Fallin has appointed core team members, with the project team to be led by Adrienne Rollins, Director of the OSDH Center Health Innovation and Effectiveness.