It is my belief that this bill is writing a wrong. AS A VETERAN I have seen the shortage of qualified individuals in the mental health field and find it unbelievable that it was ever made so difficult to maintain competent licensed individuals from doing a job they have successfully done for years because of a test require by none credentialed bureaucrats. TWENTY TWO a day killing themselves because they can't get the help they need....I personally experienced this shortage. You like to complicate things...these individuals should have been grandfathered in to start with.

I would like to submit my overwhelming support for HB606, paving an alternative pathway to a License in Clinical Social Work (LCSW). I am currently an LCSW and also provide clinical supervision for those who have a Master's in Social Work and seek licensure. The current LCSW exam creates a significant barrier for social workers who are in critical need with the behavioral health crisis. ASWB (Association of Social Work Boards) recently released a study showing how mostly Black, Latine, and Indigenous individuals are unable to pass the exam which provides limitations on growth within our field and services provided for our communities. Another major barrier is the cost associated. Social Workers can spend up to $5,000 on obtaining study material and attempts to pass the exam. Having an alternative pathway will assist social workers in focusing more on our practice and continuing to serve our communities whether that is in hospitals, shelters, community organizing and private practice. As Social Workers we are embedded in society yet rarely acknowledged and seen for the incredible amount of work and advocacy we provide as we navigate significant societal barriers. Passing HB606 will continue this work and encourage individuals to join our field to address Virginia's on-going behavioral health crisis.

Vote yes on HB606!

As an LCSW, I ask you to vote for HB 606!

I am writing in support for HB606 due to being an up and coming social worker currently in supervision. I believe this option would assist with the disparities in the behavioral health workforce and allow social workers to have other options to stay in this field. I also believe that individuals that have currently taken the exam with failed attempts should have a grandfather clause to assist them with licensure. The ASWB is not benefiting the social workers either by making individuals continuously pay to take this exam which is causing individuals to have more debt and increasing burnout due to having to gain more employment (like second jobs) to make ends meet.

I’m a BSW, MSW, QMHP-A, social worker with over ten years of experience. I will never become licensed or pay to sit for an exam. Our current process of licensing is exclusionary and limiting. Please allow social workers more ways to advance themselves and their careers.

Vote yes on HB606!

Vote yes on HB 606 to create an equitable path to social work licensure.

Vote YES on HB 606!

Vote yes on HB 606!

Vote yes! Virginia needs more licensed clinical social workers and more LCSWs of color!

I am asking for you to pass this bill for both moral and practical reasons. It has been established by the ASWB's own data that the test is biased toward the beliefs and approaches of white social workers. The numbers are appalling. I know social workers I went to school with who are excellent, who have helped so many people, but cannot pass that test. It's unacceptable that they would be paid less and not get the opportunity for promotion. I definitely have concerns about quality control of clinical social workers but that test does not predict how much someone can help a client, it just measures whether you know how to answer the way the test wants you to answer. Having more supervision, which actually requires being observed and given feedback about how you help those clients is much more helpful. Lastly, people who are in acute crisis or a moment of being ready to make a change are having to wait months and months to see a therapist. We need more licensed therapists to help more people.

Vote yes HB 606

My name is Kim Young, I am a resident of Richmond, Va and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Virginia, and I am asking you to support HB606 (Price) which aims to strengthen the behavioral health workforce by increasing pathways to becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). Passing HB606 would direct the Board of Social Work to implement an alternative requirement to the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) exam. Virginia is experiencing a behavioral health workforce shortage and the Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority (VHWDA) released a recent and here are a few highlights: Behavioral health workers are challenged by low pay. High education cost, and work environments rife with high administrative burden, high caseloads, and at times violence.. Virginia’s own regulations and tedious administrative burden restrict those entering the field causing burnout and turnover.It is difficult to attract students to the behavioral health profession due to steep clinical hours requirements, the cost of obtaining hours, and licensure requirements..Virginia is ranked 12th in the nation for population but 37th for the number of licensed social workers specializing in mental health care. The legislature should direct the Board of Social Work to implement an alternate path to licensure that does not require an exam. In the absence of ASWB’s foundationally flawed and biased exams, social work licensure would be earned primarily through degree completion and accruing supervised clinical hours. The option to sit for the licensure at 3,000 supervised experience hours will still exist but the alternative path will allow someone to elect to complete an additional 1,500 supervised experience hours to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in lieu of the exam. Additionally, implementing a grandfathering process that allows those who have already been working towards licensure to apply their supervised experience hours towards the alternative non-exam licensure path.

I submit a responsive yes for this. In my as quality assurance in a state agency I notice how imperative it is to get well trained clinical staff. If I'm not mistaken Virginia ranks very low in terms of the number of qualified staff or qualified clinical operators we have. If excluding the inequity of charging more money to retake tests, there is still the responsibility to ensure that Virginians have access to these clinical providers. Removing barriers that hinder qualified people from receiving certifications or easily retesting seems the easiest way to increase the number of professionals it is evident that we need.

YES to HB606. Virginia is experiencing a behavioral health workforce crisis. There is a high demand for licensed mental health professionals and an insufficient workforce to respond to these needs. Part of this issue is the inaccessibility of the exam required for Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW). The National Association of Social Workers has acknowledged that the current exam is being disproportionately failed by Black, Brown, and English Language Learner (ELL) testers. The licensing exam is only offered in English, despite the rapidly growing Latine and diverse immigrant population and the high demands for bilingual therapists. Virginia residents deserve mental health professionals that look, live, and sound like all Virginians. The high cost of becoming licensed (registering and paying for supervision, buying study materials) and possibly even failing the exam can be upwards of $5000, in addition to the cost of getting a Master of Social Work degree. Passing HB606 would help address the critical behavioral health workforce needs that Virginia is experiencing, and would be a pathway to a more diverse, inclusive, sustainable, and accessible mental health workforce. YES to HB606!

Vote yes to HB606 for alternative pathway to licensure for social workers. No standardized test should be an indicator to the skills that a social worker portrays. This pathway will also strengthen the behavioral health workforce and allow social workers to stay in this profession instead of finding a new career. As a social worker currently in the field and working towards licensure, this exam has caused me a lot of agony and distress currently I am not able to move in my career due to failed examination attempts. I am asking for everyone to vote yes to this bill, as it will help all current social workers, up and coming social workers continue to make valuable change in this world.

vote YES

vote YES reduce the racist barriers to licensure and join the national movement against the test.

vote YES reduce the racist barriers to licensure and join the national movement against the test.

vote YES

YES. Increase pathways to licensure through WORK experience AS a supervised social worker, is a better indicator of qualification to be a social worker

YES. Allow further access to licensure outside of standardized testing that evidence and data shows disproportionately keeps out BIPOC social workers from earning higher paid positions and licensure

As a medical student at Georgetown University, I have been privileged to meet and learn from numerous physicians in the DMV community. What I did not anticipate was that these skilled and talented individuals would have less interactions with patients than I would as a second-year medical student. Our medical community is struggling with shortages and burnout, and the health of our community at large is struggling even more as a result. We need capable physicians in our workforce who can provide for the diverse needs of Virginians. Bill HB995 will allow dozens of physicians to enter our workforce and begin providing for our communities in the ways in which they were trained while simultaneously ensuring that all physicians practicing in the US remain held to the highest standards. It has been an honor and privilege to learn from the incredible refugee physician in our local community through the research-based interviews that myself and other GUSOM students have been conducting. We would be even more fortunate to work alongside these physicians in our future careers. Our state--and nation--do not need more barriers to entering the healthcare workforce than the tedious, expensive, and strenuous prerequisites that already exist. We need physicians now, and HB995 will provide us them, and it will provide so many prepared physicians with the careers they have earned.

My name is Kenn Speicher, and I serve on the executive team of the Board of Church & society for the Virginia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. We strongly support passage of HB995. Welcoming and assisting refugees and other newcomers is a central tenant of our faith. Not only will HB995 create a temporary licensing pathway for qualified refugee physicians to practice medicine in Virginia, it will improve access to health care for underserved communities in the Commonwealth. Virginia will also gain a source of physicians that will help meet projected doctor shortages. Currently, it is impossible for many of these doctors to pursue the complex licensing process and requirements, especially if they are recent arrivals still struggling to get by and support their families. HB995 ensures that Virginia's high medical standards are met, while enabling qualified candidates to return to practicing medicine in a supervised setting as they complete the licensing process. As United Methodists, we see this as a very practical way to welcome the stranger and improve Virginia's capacity to bring health and healing to all.

I live in Williamsburg, and work with Hampton Roads Refugee Relief. I also had a kidney transplant in 2022 at Georgetown Medstar Hospital. I know firsthand about the medical doctor shortage we have in Virginia, which negatively impacts Virginian residents not in major metropolitan areas. We have to travel for good medical care. Allowing these refugees to practice in VA not only helps newcomers, it is vital for your constituents as well.

I am Tahera Ahmadi, a general physician who arrived in the United states from Afghanistan during a crisis and after the country entirely collapsed by the Taliban in late 2021, after the United States Army withdrew. I am a member of the Refugee Physicians Advocacy Coalition, and I strongly support HB995 because it allows doctors like me to return to medical practice under the supervision of a competent Virginia medical facility. This opportunity allows me to enter the profession, demonstrate my talents, learn best practices, and build a strong network while still earning money for my own medical future. Working as a non-medical employee will have a significant negative impact on my future medical career and educational achievements. I face numerous obstacles in my quest to enter the American medical field. As an older graduate, passing the USMLE exams and brushing up on my knowledge will require more time than it would for a recent graduate. I can't work at this time and won't be able to earn money. I need to make enough money to support myself as a refugee who recently arrived in the United States. Furthermore, there are high fees associated with exams, residency match applications, and observer/internship programs. For older grads, there are additional graduation year restrictions. Recent grads are preferred for most residency programs. Work experience doesn't seem to be a big deal to them.The chance to network and show off medical expertise is the other reality. Even very basic chores are beyond the acceptance of volunteers like me in most institutions. They have ties to universities and would rather hire such students for volunteer or internship positions. As a physician, I ought to have a resource I can turn to when I need to have U.S required training and medical field exposure, as it's a prerequisite for residency programs. Exposures include working as a research assistant, physician assistant, or medical assistant. Regretfully, in order to establish some kind of network in a clinical context, a lot of doctors are forced to accept the position of medical technician. Even someone with a high school diploma can complete this task. If an organization could help IMGs with their training and placement in the workforce, it would be a fantastic concept.

We support

Please support HB995 Temporary Licensure Track for Foreign Licensed Physicians

Dear Delegates of the Virginia Health and Human Services Committee, I hope this message finds you well. My name is Ahmad Khalid Stanikzai, a medical doctor, who recently arrived in the U.S. from Afghanistan. As a Virginia resident, I am reaching out to express my strong support for HB995. I am proud to be a part of the Refugee Physicians Advocacy Coalition, and I believe that HB995 is a crucial piece of legislation. This bill creates a pathway for doctors like me to return to medical practice under the supervision of an appropriate Virginia medical facility. This is a significant step toward harnessing the skills and expertise of physicians who have arrived in the U.S. seeking refuge. I would like to shed light on the formidable barriers that doctors like myself encounter when attempting to reenter medical practice. These barriers, ranging from complex licensing procedures to a lack of recognition for our qualifications, significantly hinder our ability to contribute to the U.S. healthcare system. Despite our extensive experience and qualifications earned in our home countries, the current system poses challenges that often make our integration into the workforce a daunting task. I am eager to serve the community and believe that HB995 will pave the way for us to overcome these obstacles effectively, ensuring that our skills and expertise are utilized for the betterment of the healthcare system and the communities we aim to serve. I hold an MD degree and bring 9 years of valuable experience from my home country. However, the current system poses challenges that impede our seamless integration into the U.S. healthcare workforce. HB995 provides a solution to these challenges, and I am hopeful that it will receive your strong support. In conclusion, I sincerely thank you for considering this matter. I kindly ask for your support for HB995, as it not only benefits individuals like myself but also contributes to the broader healthcare landscape. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Dr. Ahmad Khalid Stanikzai

Upwardly Global supports HB995, which would expand pathways for eligible international medical graduates (IMGs) to practice medicine in Virginia. Though newcomers to the U.S. in recent times are more educated than at any other time in history — with roughly 45% of recently arrived immigrants possessing at least a bachelor’s degree — over two million college-educated immigrants and refugees are unemployed or underemployed because of the many cultural and structural barriers in the way of restarting their careers. The Migration Policy Institute estimates that there are 165,000 unemployed or underemployed immigrants in the U.S. with international healthcare degrees. Accessing and leveraging this talent pool would move the needle towards addressing the shortage of 122,000 physicians the U.S. is anticipated to face by 2032. For over two decades, Upwardly Global has been at the forefront of advocating for policies and practices that champion workforce inclusion for internationally trained healthcare professionals. Specializing in supporting international medical graduate professionals, our programs cater to both job seekers looking to relicense and those pursuing alternative pathways such as clinical research. To date, Upwardly Global has assisted nearly 900 healthcare job seekers across the U.S. in securing full-time placements, including 120 who successfully matched for residency positions. Over 40% of the healthcare professionals we are currently supporting nationally through our industry-aligned individual job coaching program were physicians in their home countries. If enacted, HB995 will not only help address Virginia's healthcare labor shortage, but also provide internationally trained immigrant and refugee medical professionals equitable career opportunities.

Dear Delegates of the Health and Human Services Committee, I am a doctor originally licensed in the country of Iraq and a Virginia resident (or DMV resident). As a member of the Refugee Physicians Advocacy Coalition, I strongly support HB995 because this legislation creates a pathway for doctors like me to return to medical practice under the supervision of an appropriate Virginia medical facility. Since I arrived in the US, I have experienced many significant barriers to returning to medical practice in Virginia and I am eager to use my skills to serve the community. I ask that you consider supporting HB995 as I believe it helps IMGs overcome the challenge of matching for residency while ensuring quality training and quality patient care. Further, it helps to address the shortage of doctors in underserved communities. I hope I can count on your support and consideration. Sincerely, Noor Al Azzawi MD 45811 Marlane Terrace, Sterling, VA 20166

Comments Document

Dear Delegates of the Virginia House Health and Human Services Subcommittee on Health Professions. Thank you for giving me the chance to join your committee meeting. It is an honor for me to speak in support of House Bill 995. I am Dr. Aziz Jami. I have over 20 years of clinical experience as a general surgery specialist and am a long-time professor at Herat Medical University. I successfully completed a fellowship in laparoscopic surgery from Germany and brought the specialized skills I learned back to teaching in Herat Province and Afghanistan. I was evacuated from Afghanistan in August 2021 and have sought to establish a new life in Virginia alongside my wife who specializes in obstetrics and gynecology. Since 2021, we both have applied to countless clinics and health service providers. We have applied through job fairs and networks of friends and medical professionals. . It has been so disheartening to be unable to use our education and expertise especially knowing that healthcare shortages exist in Virginia and among other recent Afghan arrivals. Although we have medical skills, language and culture, we are unable but eager to be of help in our new home communities. To subsist and be able to pay our bills and support my family, I took a non-medical position with Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services. But my dream remains to get my medical license in my new home and serve our community. Unfortunately, during the last two years I heard from hundreds of overseas doctors who passed the USMLE and were applying for residency but not matching for 2-3 consecutive years. The residency barrier is especially discouraging and dissuades me and many other overseas medical graduates from even pursuing the USMLE which needs a significant investment of time and funds. But I am not ready to give up and I am eager to be a doctor again, helping people in my new home of Virginia. I will continue in my personal and team efforts to advocate for the next generation. I joined the Refugee Physicians Advocacy coalition and strongly support HB995 because this legislation can create a pathway for overseas doctors to return to medical practice where no path currently exists. I dream of the day when this bill becomes law, and this opportunity becomes a reality for doctors like my wife and me and so many others. I really appreciate your consideration and count on your support for HB995.

Comments Document

Please support HB995, which makes it easier for foreign licensed doctors to return to practicing medicine and will help fill workforce gaps in healthcare in rural and underserved communities across Virginia. The re-licensing process for refugees who were licensed doctors in their countries of origin is long and complicated. Many are working to make ends meet and have no time to complete the process, which means Virginia is missing out on a qualified pool of experienced medical talent. HB995: 1) offers qualified refugee physicians a temporary licensure pathway to return to medical practice under the supervision of an appropriate Virginia medical facility, 2) helps meet the doctor shortage in Virginia, and 3) fills workforce gaps for medically underserved populations and locations (e.g., rural hospitals). As a co-founder of NOVA Friends of Refugees, this is a personal issue for me. I have met and assisted several of the doctors and understand the challenges that have kept them away from their medical callings. As part of our work to welcome and assist newcomers, we helped found the Refugee Physician Advocacy Coalition (RCA) to assist refugee physicians seeking licensure and to advocate for needed legislation.. HB995 has earned support across the Virginia health sector, including endorsements from the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association, Virginia Medical Society, Virginia Association of Free Clinics, and Virginia Community Healthcare Association. I have attached RCA’s letter of support, which offers additional information and includes the names of more than 20 refugee resettlement, community services, faith and non-profit partners across the Commonwealth that have endorsed the legislation. These physicians are a valuable medical resource for Virginia. Passage of HB995 will help them restart their careers while continuing the high quality care available in the Commonwealth.

The below is our mid course reflection as Georgetown University Medical Students who are doing our Community Based Learning experience with NOVA Friends of Refugees through which we have been interviewing DMV refugee physicians. "As we get to the midway point of our time with NOVA Friends of Refugees, some of us have had experiences interviewing our physicians, while the world is undergoing some drastic changes in the Middle East. As many of our physicians were refugees from war-torn regions, it is vital to recognize the impact these current events can have on their mental, physical, and spiritual health. Throughout our student-held interviews, we see just how much these circumstances affect their lives and how they bear these problems all while focusing on becoming a physician in America. Many of us are shocked and surprised to hear about their lives both before becoming refugees and what it is like for them currently. It is through these moments in our interviews that we gain a deeper understanding of who refugee physicians are as people and how to be their advocates in such difficult times for them. Indeed, these interviews with refugee physicians have peeled back the veil on the determination these strong men and women possess. Their harrowing tales of adaptation reveal a fortitude that goes beyond the medical training they are pursuing. Also, as students, we are not merely chroniclers of these narratives. We are their future colleagues. Some went through difficult journeys at home, having to leave their families to train in foreign countries due to discrimination faced in their home country. They trained and worked tirelessly to serve those in their home country and want to continue serving others whilst continuing to care for their family and friends in unsafe conditions. It instills in us a profound respect for their journey, and reaffirms our commitment to advocate for their inclusion in our nation's medical community. Additionally, through these conversations, we are also reminded of the countless privileges that we, as Georgetown medical students possess. Simply attending an American, MD granting school, is an opportunity that millions of people, the world over, would give a great deal for. In our interviews, we have heard of the countless barriers and challenges that refugee physicians must face to obtain an American medical license, all while trying to survive and thrive in a foreign country. Frankly put, the current system is terribly broken, and if current American physicians do not speak up for our equally qualified and capable colleagues, we will continue to squander the great potential of these individuals. While some of us have not personally interviewed a physician yet, we have been struck by the stories told to us during our interview training and initial sessions with NOVA Friends of Refugees. Each of us in this group knows the amount of work that goes into becoming a physician, and to essentially have to start over in another country seems impossible. As we approach the final remaining sessions with NOVA Friends of Refugees, we wish to leave a lasting message to the refugee physicians: that we will continue to advocate for them, even beyond the scope of the CBL course. Through our actions, we hope to set an example to future stakeholders to work closely with these refugee physicians and bring them one step closer to realizing their aspirations ."

Please join me and Refugee Physicians Advocacy Coalition in supporting Delegate Tran's HB995, that makes it easier for foreign licensed doctors to return to practicing medicine in Virginia while filling workforce gaps in medically underserved communities. As you may know, the re-licensing process for refugees who were licensed doctors in their countries of origin is long and complicated. Many are working to make ends meet and have no time to complete the process, which means Virginia is missing out on a qualified pool of experienced and diverse medical talent. HB995 provides a solution that: -Offers qualified refugee physicians a pathway to return to medical practice under the supervision of an appropriate Virginia medical facility -Helps meet the doctor shortage in Virginia -Fills workforce gaps for medically underserved populations and locations (e.g., rural hospitals) I am a physician in the DMV area who has been involved in both mentoring and interviewing more than 20 refugee physicians in the area. They are brilliant, passionate, and skilled physicians who have face so many barriers when trying to re-enter the medical field here. I would be honored to work alongside these incredible physicians in providing care to our communities. I believe this bill will make a huge difference in improving the health of our diverse communities. For all these reasons and more, I hope you'll join us in supporting HB995.

Comments Document

World Education Services (WES) supports HB 995, which would expand pathways for eligible internationally trained physicians to practice medicine in Virginia. World Education Services (WES) is a non-profit social enterprise that supports the educational, economic, and social inclusion of immigrants, refugees, and international students. For 50 years, WES has set the standard for international academic credential evaluation, supporting millions of people as they seek to achieve their academic and professional goals. Through decades of experience as a leader in global education, WES has developed a wide range of tools to pursue social impact at scale. From evaluating academic credentials to shaping policy, designing programs, and providing philanthropic funding, we partner with a diverse set of organizations, leaders, and networks to uplift individuals and drive systems change. Together with its partners, WES enables people to learn, work, and thrive in new places. The Migration Policy Institute (MPI) estimates that, as of 2020, 165,000 immigrant and refugee health care workers who hold health-related degrees from another country were unemployed or underemployed in the U.S. Among them 4,000 lived in Virginia. According to the American Immigration Council, Virginia is expected to have a shortage of 1,622 primary care physicians by 2030 to address the health care needs of its residents. Data collected by the Health Resources and Services Administration indicates that more than 2.6 million people are affected by access to care in Virginia’s 160 federally designated primary care Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs). In addition, job postings for bilingual health care workers in the state increased by nearly 39 percent between 2017 and 2021. Immigrants and refugees with a background in health care are well-positioned to help address employment gaps, offering in-demand skills and multilingual abilities. Their perspective and knowledge of different cultures is also an asset: Studies have found that patient outcomes improve when health care teams are more diverse. HB 995 will help address Virginia’s physician shortage, ensure a more diverse health workforce, and promote access to quality care for all Virginians by making licensing pathways more accessible for internationally trained physicians in the state.

Comments Document

My name is Victoria Francis, and I am the Deputy Director of State and Local Initiatives at the American Immigration Council (the Council), an organization that works to advance positive public attitudes toward immigrants and create a more welcoming America—one that provides a fair process for immigrants and adopts immigration laws and policies that take into account the needs of the U.S. economy. I am submitting this letter to express the Council’s support for removing barriers that keep qualified Virginians from contributing to the state’s healthcare workforce. To this end, I respectfully encourage the passage of HB 995, which would expand pathways to practice for international medical graduates (IMGs) seeking to enter the state’s workforce and reduce barriers to career advancement for Virginians

My name is Susannah Lepley, and I join you today as Director of Church World Service (CWS) Virginia. CWS is a 78-year old humanitarian organization representing 37 congregations. In my testimony today, I would like to express our strong support for HB 995, “Temporary Licensure of Foreign Licensed Physicians,” a bill championed by Delegate Kathy Tran that creates a pathway for qualified doctors licensed overseas to fill workforce gaps in medically underserved communities. Virginia is facing a healthcare workforce crisis. A RAND report commissioned by the Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority notes that “Virginia, like the U.S. as a whole, faces a significant shortage of healthcare workers,” especially in primary care and behavioral health, with shortfalls projected to increase as the population ages. Many refugees remain unable to fully contribute their talents to the workforce because of systemic barriers, including the lack of recognition of their international education and experience, and outdated occupational and professional re-credentialing processes. Because of this, we are leaving needed talent on the table. In 2021, more than a quarter of immigrants with professional and doctorate degrees worked in occupations in the healthcare industry that did not require a medical doctorate or professional degree. Addressing the barriers that prevent additional qualified, internationally-trained medical graduates from practicing in Virginia will be vital to helping the state meet its growing healthcare needs. HB 995 will help Amiry who is working as a medical assistant at a University Health Center. He is a pediatrician who practiced for 5 years in Jordan. Medical professionals like Amiry are a ready and untapped workforce from Afghanistan, Ukraine, Congo, Cameroon, and other countries with medical and language skills and cultural sensitivities needed to serve communities throughout the Commonwealth. This legislation would ensure that the pursuit of licensure by foreign-trained doctors is more equitable and streamlined. The need in Virginia is clear. Rural communities, immigrant communities, and communities of color are served by an aging medical workforce that lacks the diversity to best serve their populations. According to pre-COVID estimates, 270,000 under-utilized foreign trained health workers are ready and available to serve. Accessing this workforce would go a long way toward addressing the shortage of 122,000 physicians the U.S. is expected to face by 2032. The cost of this untapped talent can amount to millions of dollars in underutilized taxes and spending power. Virginia’s lawmakers should open pathways so that immigrants and refugees can reach their career goals and strengthen our communities, especially in high-demand fields like healthcare. As Virginia seeks to address healthcare shortages, policymakers can reduce barriers to licensing by passing HB 995. HB 995 is the legislation that will allow these talented professionals to provide high quality support to patients, especially in underserved communities, and improve access to needed medical care. We call for the Virginia legislature to support and pass HB 995.

Comments Document

I am writing this letter as an international medical graduated (IMG) physician, to request from delegates for supporting HB995

My name is Brandi Kilmer. I’m a Loudoun voter and co-founder of the Refugee Physicians’ Advocacy Coalition (RPA). RPA grew out of a partnership between my organization, Their Story is Our Story, the Georgetown University School of Medicine, and Nova Friends of Refugees. In our effort to help refugee physicians re-enter healthcare, we are joined by over twenty Virginia refugee resettlement organizations, nonprofits and faith based institutes spanning from Hampton Roads to the Shenandoah Valley, Northern Virginia and beyond. National experts in our coalition from the World Education Services and the American Immigration Council have provided Virginia specific analysis and have helped pass successful efforts in states ranging from Washington and Idaho to Tennessee and Massachusetts. One of my key roles with RPA this year is interviewing the refugee doctors in Virginia who bring great skills, years of clinical experience, and an eagerness to return to medical practice. To date, I’ve met with and interviewed 50 refugee physicians, with expertise in fields like: surgery, gynecology, Emergency Medicine, mental health, addiction recovery, and general medicine. Two of these outstanding doctors are testifying today. They are fortunate to have medical-adjacent work. But the vast majority of these refugee doctors from Afghanistan, Africa, Ukraine and other parts of the world are working low-wage jobs as medical assistants, pharmacy techs, or uber drivers. Some have left medicine entirely because becoming a doctor feels unattainable and the financial demands of the residency pathway are too high. Delegate Tran’s HB995 offers hope to these doctors, several of whom are listening to today’s deliberations or offering their testimony. More than hope, we believe HB995 would remove a significant barrier for International Medical Graduates “IMGs” to return to medicine and help fill coverage gaps in underserved communities in rural areas and among harder to reach immigrant communities, where their language and cultural knowledge would be invaluable. HB995 does that while maintaining careful supervision and high quality standards. We hope you will pass HB995 and we stand ready to help Virginia put these talented individuals back to work in the hospitals and health clinics where they are most needed.

The Refugee Physicians Advocacy (RPA) Coalition Supports HB995 “Temporary Licensure of Foreign Licensed Physicians.” (Del. Tran) Status: Assigned to Virginia House Health & Human Services Subcommittee: Health Professions on Jan 19 Committee Meets Thursday mornings. House Bill995 creates a pathway for qualified doctors licensed overseas to fill workforce. gaps in medically underserved communities. These gaps existed before and were exacerbated. by the COVID pandemic. Foreign trained doctors, also known as International Medical Graduates (IMGs) are a ready and untapped workforce with medical and language skills and cultural sensitivities needed to serve communities throughout the Commonwealth. There is no doubt that Virginia is facing a healthcare workforce crisis. A RAND report commissioned by the Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority notes that “Virginia, like the U.S. as a whole, faces a significant shortage of healthcare workers,1” especially in primary care and behavioral health, with shortfalls projected to increase as the population ages. In addition to shortages, there is a mismatch of talent. Rural communities, immigrant communities, and communities of color are served by an aging medical workforce that lacks the diversity to best serve their populations. According to pre-COVID estimates, 270,000 under-utilized foreign trained health workers are ready and available to serve. Accessing this workforce would go a long way toward addressing the shortage of 122,000 physicians the U.S. is expected to face by 2032.2 Virginia must compete with states that already have programs to attract IMGs. The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) recognizes workforce development shortages, including in healthcare, as among the top priorities of state legislatures in both 2023 and 2024.3 Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Washington and neighboring Tennessee have all passed legislation to license IMGs At least 10 other states are considering such legislation this year. In its first month, the Washington state program had 40 IMGs submit applications for their program.4 I support this Bill. Respectfully yours, Williiam W. Shugarts III 10522 Wildbrooke Ct. Spotsylvania, VA 22551 wshugarts@verizon.net 703-690-7760

Comments Document

The Refugee Physicians Advocacy (RPA) Coalition is joined by 25 Virginia resettlement agencies, nonprofits and faith organizations, and national experts in supporting HB995. This legislation streamlines professional re-entry for foreign qualifying physicians while maintaining rigorous assessment and evaluation of qualifying candidates and offering a solution to the challenge of healthcare shortages in underserved communities. RPA has interviewed over 50 high talent refugee physicians across a breadth of specialities and with years of clinical experience. Most of these individuals would otherwise be unable to secure licensure in Virginia, though other states have moved to offer such a pathway with more considering legislation this year. Let's put this talent pool to work in the Commonwealth by passing HB995!

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Alexandria is a vibrant city based on history, culture, a waterfront and lots of tourism. If Virginia has money and space to build an arena then you have money and space to build new schools. Our school system is deplorable. It’s overcrowded. Think of your citizens before thinking about your quick money grab that eventually leads to an inevitable loss. We don’t want or need an arena. This is pure greed.