OCAPIA Policy Research & Recommendations
The Oregon Advocacy Commissions (OACs) and applied public policy research go together. It is part of our statutory missions to study entrenched issues challenging marginalized communities and inform public policy. The goal of the research is to provide essential data and practice review, analysis, and recommendations for policy improvements.in areas of strategic interest to the Commissions. The research is in collaboration with the OACs, state and community partners and Oregon universities, and providing best resources available on key issues.
OCAPIA provides Masters, PhD, and Law students with for-credit public policy internships addressing our strategic priorities. The research is conducted jointly with state partners, and the Governor's Office to study data, best practices, effective policies, literature review, analyze gaps, suggest remedies and produce reports used by the Advocacy Commissions and their partners to inform new policies, develop strategic approaches and craft bills that improve the success of Asian Pacific Islanders statewide.
Immigrant and Refugee Re-credentialing Policy research and Stakeholder Convening
Integrating immigrant and refugee professional credentials into the Oregon workforce: Research on immigrant re-credentialing and establishment of key stakeholder's group to develop a hub of information focused on immigrant and refugee needs for re-credentialing.
In 2018, OCAPIA collaborated with Partners in Diversity, the other Advocacy Commissions, HECC, Portland Community College, Resettlement agencies, DHS, the Governor's Office, Licensing Boards, OAC legislators, and leaders in the refugee and immigrant communities to launch its second phase of public policy research and recommendations. The second phase built on its 2016-17 study of best practice models among states and in Oregon for re-credentialing and re-licensure. The 2018 research report was presented to the OCAPIA and the partnering stakeholders in August. The study recommendations have informed two legislative concepts for the 2019 session being introduced by the legislators serving on OCAPIA.
In 2019, the Oregon Commission on Hispanic Affairs (OCHA) joined OCAPIA's work as an intersectional OAC partner, bringing their work on Mental Health and building diverse pipelines of culturally and linguistically fluent practitioners into the fields of Behavioral and Mental Health, Health Care, and Allied Professions. They co-hosted a convening on the subject with Partners in Diversity, the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC), Governor's Office Policy Advisor for Diversity and Inclusion, Community Colleges, Immigrant and Refugee agencies and stakeholders, licensing boards, and legislators, to hear the final report of policy research and recommendations, and discuss collaborative next steps. 2019 legislation on Immigrant and Refugee Hub within State Government, and Licensing Board pathways to licensure for qualified immigrants and refugees were based on the outcomes of the research and discussion at the stakeholder convening. This work continues as OCAPIA champions pipeline and credentialing in public policy with OCHA, Partners in Diversity, and other stakeholders.