Community Health
College of Rural and Community Development
Bristol Bay Campus 907-842-5109
Chukchi Campus 907-442-3400
Interior-Aleutians Campus 907-474-5439
Kuskokwim Campus 907-543-4500
Northwest Campus 907-443-2201
http://ruralhealth.uaf.edu
Community Health Aide/Practitioner Training Centers:
Anchorage CHA Training Program, ANTHC 907-729-2427;
Norton Sound Health Corp., Nome 907-443-3404;
Southeast Alaska Regional Health Corp., Sitka 907-966-8758;
Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corp., Bethel 907-543-6120.
Certificate; A.A.S. Degree
Minimum Requirements for Certificate: 34 credits; for Degree: 60 credits
The community health aide/practitioner (CHA/P) training program prepares students to provide primary health care services in villages, under the supervision of a referral physician. As a prerequisite, students entering the program must be employed by a regional health corporation.
The educational program consists of four basic training sessions, each four weeks long and followed by a field component in the CHA's village clinic. The curriculum includes the knowledge and skills necessary to provide acute care for common medical problems, emergency care, follow-up care for patients with chronic illnesses, and preventive services including prenatal and well-child care. The training also includes state-approved emergency care courses, completion of a skills checklist, a supervised clinical preceptorship, and passing the CHP statewide examination.
Upon successful completion of all certification requirements, students are awarded a community health practitioner (CHP) certificate by the training center. Students completing the training program also meet the requirements for a university certificate recognizing the credits earned. These credits may be used to satisfy requirements for the A.A.S. degree.
The CHA/P academic review committee (ARC), composed of representatives from the regional health corporations, training centers and university, ensures that the curriculum and certification process is kept uniform throughout the state. The ARC reports to the Association of CHA/P Program Directors and serves in an advisory role to the dean of the College of Rural and Community Development.
For more information about the CHA/P basic training program, contact one of the CHA/P training centers. For more information about the A.A.S. degree, contact the College of Rural and Community Development health programs office at 907-455-2050 or 866-955-2050.
- Complete the general university requirements.
- Complete the certificate requirements. (As part of the certificate requirements, the communication, computation and human relations content is embedded in some of the major required courses for this program.)
- Complete the following:
CHP F131--Community Health Aide, Session I--8 credits
CHP F132--Community Health Aide, Session II--8 credits
CHP F133--Community Health Aide, Session III--8 credits
CHP F134--Community Health Aide, Session IV--8 credits
CHP F135--Community Health Aide, Preceptorship--2 credits - Minimum credits required--34 credits
Note: The student may take CHP F082 prior to CHP F131 as an option when regionally available.
- Complete the general university requirements.
- Complete the A.A.S. degree requirements.
- Complete the following program (major) requirements:*
- Complete the following:
CHP F131--Community Health Aide, Session I--8 credits
CHP F132--Community Health Aide, Session II--8 credits
CHP F133--Community Health Aide, Session III--8 credits
CHP F134--Community Health Aide, Session IV--8 credits
CHP F135--Community Health Aide, Preceptorship--2 credits - Complete 5 or more credits from the following:
CHP F203--Clinical Update for Community Health Practitioners--1 - 3 credits
CHP F206--Mental Health and Substance Abuse--1 - 3 credits
CHP F207--Maternal and Infant Health--1 - 3 credits
CHP F208--Communicable Diseases--1 - 3 credits
CHP F211--Health Education--1 - 3 credits
CHP F212--Diabetes: Primary Prevention and Village Medical Care--1 - 3 credits
CHP F214--Cancer: Risks, Diagnosis and Treatment--3 credits
CHP F215--Death and Dying--3 credits
CHP F220--Women's Health: Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening--2 credits
CHP F250--Current Issues in Rural Health Care**--1 - 3 credits
CHP F293--Special topic courses
EMS--any F200-level courses
HLTH--any F200-level courses - Complete electives--6 credits
- Minimum credits required--60 credits
* Students must earn a C grade (2.0) or better in each course.
** May repeat up to 3 credits toward A.A.S. degree.