| OHLA Offers Training Workshops in Lieu of Issuing Civil Fines |
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| Practitioners Receive Refresher on Health, Safety and Save Money |
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The Oregon Health Licensing Agency (OHLA) recently became one of the first state regulatory agencies in the nation to offer health, safety and infection control training in lieu of issuing a civil fine.
“Our goal is to protect the public,” says OHLA Regulatory Operations Manager Tim Molloy. “We think that educating licensees is the most effective way to accomplish that goal.”
More than 30 licensees, the majority of whom practice in one or more fields of practice of cosmetology, participated in the first two training sessions at OHLA in Salem on February 25, 2008. All of their current violations were expunged and their civil fines waived as a result.
OHLA has held training workshops in other parts of the state after conducting facility inspections in those areas. Practitioners found in violation of state requirements saved money, gas and travel time by participating in the training workshops.
“We were never just about issuing citations and collecting fines,” Molloy says. “We’ve always attempted to educate licensees during facility inspections. The training session takes our education efforts to a new level.”
Civil Penalties Not Ultimate Goal
Licensees leave the training session with information to assist them in practicing more safely and effectively, which ultimately benefits the health and safety of consumers.
OHLA also benefits because, as Molloy explains, offering the training session actually reduces the amount of time his staff spends on citations.
“People think that collecting civil penalties is a cash cow, but it’s not,” Molloy says. “The disciplinary process can be very time consuming and expensive. Our ultimate goal isn’t to collect fines, it’s to keep practitioners in compliance and working while protecting the public.”
For more information on the training workshops, contact OHLA at 503-378-8667 or ohla.info@state.or.us.
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