Public Health Applied Baccalaureate in the Washington State Technical College System. Grace Lasker, Ph.D., CHES, CN Program Director

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1 Public Health Applied Baccalaureate in the Washington State Technical College System Grace Lasker, Ph.D., CHES, CN Program Director

2 Community & Technical Colleges Tiered system: in the US/WA System University College Community College Technical College Community colleges typically very high transfer rate to 4-year system Can offer general AA (Associates of Arts)/AS (Associates of Science) transfer degrees Usually does not offer technical degrees, but may Technical colleges typically very low transfer rate. Cannot offer AA/AS degrees. Instead, may only offer AAS degrees (Associates of Applied Science) Largely technical programs: welding, baking, motorcycle repair, etc.

transfer degrees Usually does not offer technical degrees, but may Technical colleges typically very low transfer rate.

3 Lake WA Institute of Technology Formerly Lake WA Technical College 100 professional/technical degree and certificates 3 applied bachelor s degrees Only ~3% transfer rate Average age = 35 In Allied Health, predominately women

certificates 3 applied bachelor s degrees Only ~3%

4 Public Health in Community Colleges The ASPPH-led Framing the Future: The Second Hundred Years of Education for Public Health Task Force created a Community College and Public Health (CC&PH) Expert Panel It s goal: develop a consensus-based approach to examining the roles that community colleges could play in the continuum of education for public health.

Health (CC&PH) Expert Panel It s goal: develop a consensus-based approach to examining

5 Community Colleges and Public Health (CC&PH) 2014 Report In 2003, the IOM recommended that all undergraduates have access to education in public health. CC&PH recommended this be achieved through associate s degrees and certificates. Searching the Final Report from CC&PH for the word jobs come up with 0 hits. Searching for employment comes up with 2 hits: One is a learning outcome for the Health Navigator pathway curriculum; the other is for the general Health Navigator description. No where in the report does it do an analysis of actual jobs for graduates with an associate s in public health.

Searching the Final Report from CC&PH for the word jobs come up with 0 hits.

6 Issues with 2-Year Public Health Degree Gainful employment not possible for those with an associates degree or certificate beyond community health workers and health navigator, which can be acquired without a degree in most states. Transfer to a 4-year public health program extremely difficult, due to the upside down model where public health courses have already been taken at the 2-year level. Very few bachelor s degrees in public health are at the community college level, more likely to be the desired school for a bachelor s degree in terms of accessibility and affordability.

Transfer to a 4-year public health program extremely difficult, due to the upside down model where public health courses have already been taken

7 Public Health at Lake Washington Institute of Technology The Bachelor of Applied Science in Public Health (BASPH) launched Fall The program is a cohort-model, with 24 students per cohort starting each fall. Students may apply after obtaining an Allied Health or related associate s degree, or equivalent. Students may also apply who have already obtained a bachelor s degree. This is called a 2+2 model.

The program is a cohort-model, with 24 students per cohort starting each fall.

8 BASPH Program Highlights Advisory board drives program development. Faculty are practicing public health workers in their fields as a requisite of hire. Hybrid/online program with classes meeting T, W, and/or Th from 6pm 8:50pm Students use current software (STATA, SAS, ArcGIS, EPI Info, etc) in courses across the program No text books, only free ebooks Students engage in service learning in the community, required for the program. In process of CEPH accreditation as standalone baccalaureate program

Hybrid/online program with classes meeting T, W, and/or Th from 6pm 8:50pm Students use current software (STATA, SAS, ArcGIS,

9 Interprofessional Education Opportunities Public health in a community college allows for interprofessional education opportunities with allied health programs Practice in sim labs, medical assisting clinics, dental clinics, etc., helps public health students find their role in coordinated care. Faculty are practitioners in these allied health programs for an increasingly enriched experience

medical assisting clinics, dental clinics, etc.

10 Conclusion While the CC&PH report highlights the need for public health in the community colleges, it underestimates (does not address) the requirement that associate s degrees must lead to employment in technical college systems. An applied baccalaureate degree allows students the opportunity to learn hands-on, skills-based training that leads to employment. Additional benefit of collaboration with other allied health programs for interprofessional education

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