Positioning Your Program for Undergraduate Accreditation in Community Health Education

Transcription

1 Positioning Your Program for Undergraduate Accreditation in Community Health Education February 22, 2012 This event is sponsored by : National Implementation Task Force on Accreditation in Health Education

2 Technical Support Phone: Call (U.S. and Canada toll-free) Both WebEx and Teleconference are in use

3 Questions? All participants, except the host and panelists, are muted. There will be a Q&A session after the presentations. Questions may be submitted any time during the event by clicking on the? button on your toolbar and typing in your question.

4 Feedback Feedback from webinar attendees is important and encouraged Please complete the brief feedback form that will pop up in your browser immediately following this session.

5 Continuing Education Today s session has been approved for 1.0 Category I continuing education contact hours (CECHs) for Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES) and MCHES. SOPHE, including its chapters, is a designated multiple event provider of CECHs by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC). Fees: $ 12 for SOPHE members $ 24 for non-members Forms can be downloaded from SOPHE s Continuing Education, Webinars page at: Completed applications, evaluations, and fees should be sent to: Society for Public Health Education 10 G Street NE; Suite # 605 Washington, DC Fax:

6 National Implementation Task Force on Accreditation in Health Education Moderator David Birch, PhD, CHES Co-chair, National Implementation Task Force on Accreditation in Health Education

7 Today s Agenda Time Activity Presenter 2:00 pm Welcome & Instructions Sarah Leonard/ 2:06 pm Health Education Quality Assurance Movement: A Brief Synopsis :12 pm CEPH Quality Assurance at the Baccalaureate Level: History and Current Developments Elaine Auld David Birch Laura Rasar King 2:28 pm Insights on Successfully Completing CEPH R. Daniel Duquette Undergraduate Accreditation in Community Health Education: The La Crosse Experience 2:44 pm Q & A Led by David Birch 2:48 pm Wrap Up/Adjourn David Birch

8 Objectives At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to: Articulate the overall direction of CEPH undergraduate accreditation in public health and next steps. Identify at least two recommendations from the LaCrosse accreditation experience to successfully prepare for the undergraduate accreditation process. Formulate a plan for discussing with your faculty colleagues about next steps to prepare for undergraduate accreditation in public health.

9 Strengthening Quality Assurance in Health Education SOPHE and AAHE began effort in 2000 to examine mechanisms to strengthen and unify QA efforts, address problems 3 Task Forces working over 12 years Efforts focused in both accreditation of professional prep programs and individual certification

10 National Task Force on Accreditation in Health Education Principles Accreditation to be the quality assurance mechanism 2 parallel, coordinated mechanisms for school and community (NCATE & CEPH) Accreditation built on best practices of existing systems Graduate level students perform competencies at graduate level proficiency

11 Task Force Recommendations That accreditation be the quality assurance mechanism for health education professional preparation institutions and should replace existing approval processes in an orderly transition. That there be a unified accreditation system, comprising two parallel, coordinated accreditation mechanisms for community and school health education preparation institutions, which are responsive to the needs of the health education profession. That the NCATE is the preferred accrediting entity to provide a single coordinated accreditation mechanism for school health education programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. That the CEPH is the preferred accrediting entity to provide a single coordinated accreditation mechanism for community/public health education programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

12 Task Force Recommendations That a coordinated accreditation system should build on the best practices of existing community and school health accreditation mechanisms. That graduate professional preparation programs must ensure that students perform all health education competencies and that their performance reflects graduate-level proficiency. That NCHEC is the appropriate entity to oversee the process of individual certification at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The Task Force further recommends that: Persons who successfully complete the certification processes should be designated as a CHES (undergraduate level) or master s level certified health education specialist (MCHES; both master s and doctorate graduate level). Only students from accredited programs/schools should be eligible for CHES and MCHES certification; however, those individuals who hold the CHES certification prior to the implementation of this process would remain certified.

13 CEPH Recent Progress Initiates accreditation of undergraduate public health programs that are in the same unit as an accredited master s degree program (2005) Decides to accredit free-standing undergraduate community/public health education programs (those with no affiliation with a CEPH-accredited master s degree program (June, 2011). NCATE/TEAC In January, 2013, NCATE &TEAC will merge to form a new accrediting body, the Council for Accreditation. It is expected that the new accrediting organization will serve as the accrediting body for school health education programs and new guidelines for teacher education may emerge from this merger.

14 Recent Progress Once CEPH undergraduate accreditation mechanisms are in place, program approval for undergraduate public community health education programs through the SOPHE/AAHE Baccalaureate Program Approval Committee (SABPAC ) will be discontinued. Health education professional preparation programs are encouraged to maintain or seek SABPAC approval until CEPH accreditation is available. NCHEC has agreed in principle to certify only students graduating from accredited programs. This will not take place until NCHEC determines that a sufficient number of professional preparation programs are accredited.

15 Laura Rasar King, MPH, MCHES Executive Director Council on Education for Public Health February 22, 2012

16 Where we have been SOPHE/AAHE Accreditation Task Force Request related to community health education (UGCHE) programs only Criteria revision allowing PHP to include UG in accreditation unit Developed TA paper on including UG in self-study Developing system of UGCHE accreditation goal in Strategic Plan USDE included UG PHP in CEPH scope of recognition

17 and how we got where we are now 2008 CEPH developed a plan and timeline to accredit UGCHE programs CEPH drafted criteria for UGCHE programs 2009 Questions arose about CEPH getting ahead of the field CEPH solicited organizational comments on plan for proceeding content, process, value/importance, feasibility and unintended consequences 2010 Council considered comments

18 2010 Proposed Principles for Comment Expansion must not distract CEPH from primary focus on graduate education Consider baccalaureate degrees only Prepare for entry to practice Curriculum embrace public health AND use NCHEC competencies Same accreditation procedures Separate criteria document Revenue neutral

19 Organizational Comments Of 35 organizations 11 responded (5 CHE and 6 general public health) Generally supportive, but with overwhelming theme: Look broadly at undergraduate education in public health instead of focusing in one specialty area Unintended consequence identified was that of NOT pursuing it could it fracture the field? Based on results, Council decided to explore further

20 February 2011 Undergraduate Public Health Thought Leaders Meeting February 6, 2011 in Tampa, Florida 12 members representing HRSA, CDC, AAC&U, State PH, Local PH, ASPH, APHA, RWJ, Accredited PHP, UGCHE Task Force, and CEPH Discussed all aspects of potential move to UG QA

21 Brainstorming and prioritizing important areas Core public health content Service learning Social and personal responsibility Practitioners as teachers Advising and mentoring students Authentic student evaluation Recruitment and retention of students, particularly form underrepresented groups

22 Consensus Statements 1. Given the rapid growth in UG PH in all types of higher education institutions, accreditation might be necessary to assure quality in baccalaureate-level PH majors. 2. Development of an accreditation system is an iterative, collaborative process that must involve key stakeholder groups. 3. Principles of quality should apply to all baccalaureate-level public health majors, whether in SPH, affiliated with graduate PHP, or in colleges or universities without graduate PH training.

23 June 2011 Framed Curricular Aspects of Degree 2011 Revised Accreditation Criteria, making expectations for UG PH programs more explicit 12 semester hours of core public health knowledge, including one course in epidemiology Elective public health-related coursework defined as social, economic, quantitative, geographic, educational and other issues that impact the health of populations and health disparities Capstone experience required and defined as at least 3 semester hours tailored to post-baccalaureate goals Does not define baccalaureate-level degrees as professional or academic

24 Fall 2011/February 2012 Framing Non-curricular Aspects of Degree Discussed non-curricular aspects of accreditation criteria for free-standing UG programs anticipate significant differences Constituted 3 small workgroups with internal and external members to discuss Leadership, management and governance Faculty qualifications Program assessment and student learning assessment Intend to use a principle-based approach with a broad range of programs in mind

25 February 2012 Expert Panel on Undergraduate Public Health Education ASPH Education Committee convened a group of UG faculty and public health practitioners to determine the Essential Component Elements that every UG program in public health should contain. All recommendations from group will be vetted publicly. Framework is NOT the 5 core areas as they are now known, increasing likelihood for flexibility and overlap with concentration-specific competencies. This group is NOT giving input related to concentrations (e.g., community health education, environmental health specialist). Results of this group and community-wide agreement will likely influence core curricular expectations of CEPH.

26 Parallel Tracks Collaboration and stakeholder input through the development process is essential to success! CEPH Criteria Development Continue to learn from graduate affiliated programs Focus on criteria development and assessment processes Framing the Future Focus on continuum of education in public health from baccalaureate to doctorate Focus on curricular aspects for each level

27 Framing the Future Requires YOU!

28 In conclusion Current target for completion is over the next two years Expect drafts from Framing the Future and CEPH for review and comment Discussion began as request from community health education programs but has grown larger in scope as other undergraduate degrees emerge The Council is excited to participate in Framing the Future as well as learning the recommendations of this group

29 Insights on Successfully Completing CEPH Undergraduate Accreditation in Community Health Education: The La Crosse Experience Dr. Dan Duquette, Chair Dept. of Health Education and Health Promotion Uni. of WI-La Crosse

30 Rationale for seeking CEPH accreditation for CHE undergraduate program Planning and preparation related to the accreditation process Faculty perceptions of the accreditation experience and the perceived benefits of accreditation

31 BS in Community Health Education BS in School Health Education MS in Community Health Education MS in School Health Education MPH in Community Health Education On-line degree completion program 910 add on license

32 BS CHE BS SHE - 80 MS CHE - 10 MS SHE - 3 MPH CHE On-line 4 total 21

33 CHE Faculty 7 SHE Faculty - 3 (hiring a 4 th to start Fall of 12) On-line 2 part-time

34 Rationale for Seeking CEPH Accreditation Marketing clarified competencies and skills Interdisciplinary Respected in the Larger PH Community Professional Development Encourages Self-Evaluation

35 Curriculum covers necessary knowledge and skills Keeps program current Enhance the linkage between graduate program and undergraduate program Commitment to enhancing quality

36 Preparation and Planning Review all CEPH Materials Ask Questions of Others/Ask Questions of Our self Ask Questions of CEPH Staff Early Communication with CEPH Plan your Timeline Carefully

37 Ongoing Involve all Faculty Prepare Appropriate Administrators

38 Perceptions of the Experience Understanding the Accreditation Documents Essential Communication with CEPH Very Positive Process Strengthened the Program Helped us Focus

39 Collaborative Approach Used by CEPH Flexible Respectful Positive Provides Oversight Discussion/Dialogue with site reviewers

40 Perceived Benefits Faculty on the Same Page in Relation to our Courses/Curriculum The Process Allows Faculty to Reflect on the Quality of the Program Quality Assurance & Accountability to the Public Broadened Scope of our Students Experience Provided Leverage

41 Questions? To submit a question, click on the? button and type in your question. Reference Articles Allegrante JP, Airhihenbuwa CO, Auld ME, Birch DB, Roe KM, Smith, BJ. Toward a Unified System of Accreditation for Professional Preparation in Health Education: Final Report of the National Task Force on Accreditation in Health Education, Health Education & Behavior, 31(6):1-16 (December 2004). Taub A, Birch DB, Auld ME, Lysoby L, King LR. Strengthening Quality Assurance in Health Education: Recent Milestones and Future Directions. Health Promotion Practice, 10(2): (April 2009).

42 For More Information Website Laura Rasar King Dan Duquette David Birch Randy Cottrell

43 Thank You! This session was recorded and will be available on the SOPHE website within two weeks at: Please complete the feedback form! CHES credits 1.0 category I CECH Fees: $14.00 SOPHE members; $24 non-members Completed applications, evaluations, and fees to: SOPHE 10 G St. NE; Suite 605 Washington, DC 20002