There’s been lots of talk about economic recovery lately, but there’s no good news on the jobs front in New Mexico. Again and again, the business community pushes for corporate income tax cuts and job creation credits. But there’s no evidence that either does anything but drain the treasury. So far, we’ve been kissing out tax revenue goodbye, along with the jobs that Hewlett Packard moved to Mexico and the 200 we lost when Schott Solar shut down.
Well, here’s another jobs idea that’s right under our noses. It’s the training of the thousands of health care workers needed as a result of Obamacare and the state’s decision to expand Medicaid to include over 100,000 new patients. Who’s going to take care of these people? We are now desperately short of primary care doctors, nurses, and dentists. 32 out of our 33 counties are health professional shortage areas. New Mexico needs to mount a massive effort to train less expensive mid-level providers like dental therapists, nurse practioners, and community health workers to breach the gap. The pay-off will be good new jobs in every corner of the state—and, ultimately, less costly, and more responsive health care for everyone.
Read more: http://kunm.org/post/op-ed-jobs-plan-nm-might-actually-work
Read more: http://kunm.org/post/op-ed-jobs-plan-nm-might-actually-work