During the 1995-96 academic year, the American College Health Association (ACHA) Standards Revision Work Group was assigned the task of updating ACHA's Recommended Standards for a College Health Program. The Health Education Section of this book has been updated and is available as a guideline for our profession until the Task Force on Health Promotion in Higher Education completes its more in-depth work over the next few years. These guidelines have been prepared to help health educators and administrators determine the services that best suit the needs of their students.
The college health service achieves an important part of its primary mission by supporting and providing a range of planned, proactive health promotion and primary prevention services, addressing the needs of the students served. These services are consistent with the educational mission of the institution and the scope and mission of the health promotion service and the health service program. Such a unit (the college health service) demonstrates the following characteristics:
1.) The staff responsible for planning, supervising, delivery, and evaluation of the health promotion services has appropriate professional preparation and competencies in health promotion theories and practices.
2.) Documented evidence of organized program planning and implementation is available, including needs assessment, data collection, goals and objectives, program delivery, evaluation, outcome analysis, quality improvement activities, record keeping, and final reports.
3.) The immediate and long-range goals of health education and promotion services seek to be consistent with nationally and internationally developed health objectives for the future, when consistent with college student needs.
4.) The scope and objectives (of the programmatic unit should be planned and outlined according to standard practice within the profession; utilizing goals and objectives, target populations), and evaluation methodologies.
5.) The college health service provides or arranges for accessible space that meets Americans with Disabilities Act requirements, along with equipment and resources needed to perform the volume of activities required by the unit, optimal effectiveness, (efficiency, and safety, and within fiscal constraints and legal responsibility of the institution.
6.) Educational program activities, printed materials, advertising, and audio visuals are accurate, understandable, and appropriately geared to the college population they are designed to reach, and are re-evaluated periodically. These activities and materials are sensitive to issues of race, age, gender, culture, religion, individual capabilities, and sexual orientation within appropriate context.
7.) The college health service assists in providing both in-class room and/or out-of-classroom out-reach educational opportunities for health enhancement when appropriate that could include: educational methodology emphasizing decision-making, self esteem, assertiveness, negotiating skills, values clarification, and other skill-building for healthy lifestyles and the development of self-care competencies.
8.) The health service contributes to overall responsibility of the college for education of students in the areas of lifestyle and behavior that acknowledge health in physical, spiritual, and social areas. Such areas may include but not be limited to the following:
9.) If services of students as peer health advocates, educators, opinion leaders, or counselors are used, mechanisms assure their proper training and supervision. Training includes the importance of protecting the legitimate rights to privacy and confidentiality of students served.
10.) The college health service provides adequate professional development time and resources to allow for relevant, ongoing education of the staff.
11.) Appropriate interdisciplinary health service and interagency collaboration and advocacy occurs regularly regarding programs, policies, and services, including evidence of planning groups, rights to privacy and confidentiality, referral procedures, and follow-up activities. (Such college units may include counseling services, residential life, student activities, academic affairs, the dean of students, student government, international students office, women's or men's centers, the athletic program, intramural and recreational sports, programs for students with an array of abilities, and other academic departments that relate to the field of health promotion; i.e., health education, health sciences, sociology.)
12.) Education interventions that occur in the context of clinical visit should be documented in the health record when appropriate.
Go to Jim Grizzell's Homepage