× The federal government has shut down due to the failures of the President and Congress to continue government funding. Millions of Californians receiving benefits from state programs may be impacted. For now, California’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) will continue to provide services and enroll eligible families as long as funding is available. No new federal funding to California WIC will be provided until the President and Congress take action. Families should continue to use their WIC benefits and attend their WIC appointments. This information is subject to change, so please monitor the California WIC website for updates.

Please be wary of potential highly partisan political messaging while visiting federal government websites for information related to the federal government shutdown.

Skip Navigation LinksAFL-22-03

Top Menu
Left Menu
State of Cal Logo
EDMUND G. BROWN JR.
Governor

Health and Human Services Agency
California Department of Public Health


AFL 22-03
January 26, 2022


TO:
General Acute Care Hospitals (GACHs)

SUBJECT:
Assembly Bill (AB) 1407 – Nurses: Implicit Bias Courses



All Facilities Letter (AFL) Summary

This AFL notifies GACHs of the chaptering of AB 1407 (Chapter 445, Statutes of 2021) requiring GACHs to implement an evidence based-implicit bias program as part of their programs for hiring and training new nursing program graduates.

AB 1407 requires GACHs to implement an evidence-based implicit bias program as part of their programs for hiring and training new nursing program graduates.

An implicit bias program implemented pursuant to the new law must include all of the following:

  • Identification of previous or current unconscious biases and misinformation.
  • Identification of personal, interpersonal, institutional, structural, and cultural barriers to inclusion.
  • Corrective measures to decrease implicit bias at the interpersonal and institutional levels, including ongoing policies and practices for that purpose.
  • Information on the effects, including, but not limited to, ongoing personal effects, of historical and contemporary exclusion and oppression of minority communities.
  • Information about cultural identity across racial or ethnic groups.
  • Information about communicating more effectively across identities, including racial, ethnic, religious, and gender identities.
  • Discussion on power dynamics and organizational decision-making.
  • Discussion on health inequities within the perinatal care field, including information on how implicit bias impacts maternal and infant health outcomes.
  • Perspectives of diverse, local constituency groups and experts on particular racial, identity, cultural, and provider-community relations issues in the community.
  • Information on reproductive justice.

If a hospital hires and trains new nursing program graduates who are already required to participate in an evidence-based implicit bias program because they will be providing perinatal care, staff participation in that implicit bias program shall meet the requirements established by AB 1407.

CDPH's failure to expressly notify facilities of statutory or regulatory requirements does not relieve facilities of their responsibility for following all laws and regulations. Facilities should refer to the full text of all applicable sections of HSC and the California Code of Regulations to ensure compliance.

If you have any questions about the requirements of AB 1407, please contact the California Board of Registered Nursing.

 

Sincerely,

Original signed by Cassie Dunham

Cassie Dunham

Acting Deputy Director


Page Last Updated :