Provider Recruitment

Provider Recruitment Program (PRP) 

Purpose

The Provider Recruitment Program (PRP) was created as a pilot in September 2014 with Partnership HealthPlan of California board-approved funding for our 14-county service area. To date, more than $9.3 million has been approved for the PRP to support hiring of primary care providers, mental health providers, and behavioral professionals.

Success

As of July 1, 2023 the program has supported 646 offers of acceptance (291 physicians, 335 advanced practice providers (NP's/PA's), and 20 behavioral health professionals with program incentives to enhance partner organization recruitment efforts to meet access to care needs of Partnership membership.

Goal

To increase Partnership member access to providers and behavioral health professionals across our region, which includes many rural counties. (Program does not include support for dentists)

2023 Program Update (October 1, 2023)

Partnership's current PRP will conclude at the end of 2023. Partnership will announce a new set of workforce development initiatives for 2024, which will include an updated PRP. In advance of the 2024 changes that will be unveiled in the coming weeks and months, Partnership is making some changes available early due to immediate partner needs. This early update includes an enhanced signing bonus for physicians and nurse practitioners/physician assistants (NPs/PAs), and for the first time extends the sign-on bonus to obstetric providers (obstetricians, certified nurse midwives (CNMs), family medicine physicians and NPs/PAs, and women's health NPs) who focus on perinatal care, including labor and delivery.

Organizations with an existing PRP grant agreement with Partnership must execute an amended agreement to participate with the updated incentives. Organizations not currently participating in the PRP must have executed a grant agreement to submit requests for grant funds.

Providers (practicing in family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, and obstetrics)

Mental Health Providers (Psychiatrists, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners, and Psychiatric Physician Assistants)

Program Highlights / Incentives Available:

      • $100,000 signing bonus for physician candidates
      • $50,000 signing bonus for nurse practitioners/physician assistants and certified nurse midwives (NP/PA, CNM's)
      • $5,000 moving allowance match
      • $1,000 site visit match
      • $5,000 extended family moving allowance

Program Criteria for Provider Support:

      • If the candidate is currently practicing, they must be from outside Partnership's 14-county footprint.
      • Providers in training or residency programs within our footprint qualify for program support
      • Requests for support must be made before formal offers have been made to candidates. Requests for the $1,000 site visit match must be made before the site visit has occurred.
      • Psychiatric providers must provide both in-person and telehealth care services to Partnership membership- specific to this provider.
      • Participating organizations must be contracted with Partnership for recruiting individual providers who are credentialed to join Partnership's network and treat membership. The recruited providers must accept an offer of employment consistent with the terms outlined in Partnership's PRP grant agreement.

Behavioral Health Professionals


Program Highlights / Incentives Available:

        • $20,000 signing bonus available for below licensed behavioral health professionals with special skill/specialty (ie. Bilingual, or from or connected with a culturally, ethnically, or racially underrepresented community, or specific specialty training/experience):
              • Licensed Clinical Social Workers
              • Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists
              • Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor
              • Licensed Clinical Psychologists
        • $4,000 signing bonus for Certified Substance Use Disorder (SUD) counselors
        • $5,000 signing bonus for Bilingual Certified Substance Use Disorder counselors

Program Criteria for BH Professional Support

        • The program is available for successfully recruited candidates employed with an organization (i.e., not solo providers) that is currently contracted with Partnership or with Carelon Behavioral Health. 
        • If the candidate is currently practicing, they must be from outside our 14-county footprint. Providers in training programs within our footprint qualify for program support. 
        • Certified counselors, in place practicing as registered counselors who become certified or candidates hired as certified counselors would qualify for support; registered drug counselors are not eligible for support.
        • Requests for support must be made before formal offers have been made to candidates.
        • Bilingual candidates must be bilingual in Spanish or another language needed within the Partnership network.
        • Licensed behavioral health professionals lacking required specialty training for program support at time of hire, may be approved for program incentives, but must complete the selected training within 18 months of official start date. Proof of completion of the training must be provided to Partnership in order to process the bonus payment.
        • To qualify for behavioral health recruitment program support, behavioral health services may be provided via telehealth as long as the supported candidate resides in, and is certified/licensed by California. 
        • Program to support Certified Substance Use Disorder Counselors who plan to be credentialed to provide SUD Services in Partnership's Wellness and Recovery Program Counties (Humboldt, Lassen, Mendocino, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, or Solano).

Important Notes

        • Recruited provider candidates must stay in place for the full 60 month period to receive all of the approved signing bonus for primary care providers
        • There is a 12-month expectation of service attached to the first provider recruitment bonus payout, including the first behavioral health signing bonus payment for supported candidates. If a candidate leaves their position before completing 12 months of service, they are expected to pay back the bonus less the months remaining of 12 (8.333% per month)
        • If a candidate is practicing less than full-time, the amount of the signing bonus will be prorated based on the percentage of full - time the candidate will be practicing.
        • Payment of approved program incentives cannot begin until supported candidates are credentialed within six months of candidate's start date. Once credentialed, bonus comes along with a 12 month service expectation.
        • Facility will pay recruited candidates PRP payments minus any applicable taxes. PRP payments may not be discounted from the compensation package that the recruited candidates receive from organization. 

Questions


Please contact the Workforce Development team with any questions, concerns, or requests about the PRP. We are happy to be working with our partners to bring talented providers to our communities, and we are eager to assist you.

Email:  wfd@partnershiphp.org

Program Information