Community Health
College of Rural and Community Development
907-474-7143
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 community health aide’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 community health practitioner (CHP) statewide examination.
Upon successful completion of all certification requirements, students are awarded a 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 executive dean for Rural, Community and Native Education.
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 907-786-1630.
