(a) The Legislature finds and declares both of the following:
(1) California’s system of care suffers from a severe shortage of professionals and paraprofessionals in the healing arts to administer programs and provide services for older adults.
(2) As a result of rapidly changing age demographics in California, it is essential that we prepare a sufficient number of competent and qualified professionals and paraprofessionals in the healing arts to administer programs for, and provide services to, California’s older adults and adults with disabilities.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to require various professionals and paraprofessionals in the healing arts to complete certain educational requirements in aging and long-term care as a condition or licensure or renewal of licensure, or both.
(Added by Stats. 2002, Ch. 541, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 2003.)