Health Services...

Being the best you can be!  Qualifications that exceed all others!

• The Health Services Credential/License designed to ensure all Head Start staff understand compliance, manage services and support that produce healthy families outcomes and monitor progress, files and systems to determine effectiveness and quality. Students enrolled in the Health Services Credential/license programs will: Learn health best practices and procedures, and how to implement them in a Head Start program setting, Understand compliance and health regulatory issues that arise in families and Head Start community, Gain practical knowledge of state, local and federal requirement when developing, designing and implementing policies and procedures.

• The Health Services Credential (HS) is designed for professionals who are responsible for implementing, managing, and monitoring regulations in a Head Start environment. Candidates enrolled in this program typically have 1 to 5 years experience administering a Health Services content area. Due to the in-depth nature of this program level, candidates should be knowledgeable about Head Start policies and requirements in accordance to Federal regulations as well as state and local regulation for health. The Health Services Credential program is designed as a vailid and reliable measure of the candidates ability to design, develop and implement Head Start systems. Candidates enrolled in this credentialing program acquire a skill set which is consist of the best practices and procedural methods for implementing regualtions and handling health service compliance during a federal review..

• Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of all program requirements, graduates will be able to:

1.	Develop health policies and procedures that support the healthy goals for children, families and staff
2.	Link children and families to ongoing sources of continuous, accessible health care
3.	Integrate health within the Head Start program curriculum
4.	Respond to questions about strategies to address community health problems
5.	Ensure center environments support a healthy child's social, emotional, cognitive and physical development
6.	Engage parents in identifying and accessing health services and resources
7.	Support parents as advocates for their child's health
8.	Support efforts to improve health in the community
9.	Develop comprehensive health services for children and pregnant mothers
10.	Educate providers and other professionals on the needs and issues of Head Start children and families
11.	Advocate for community system changes that support the health of children and families

• Each program is 12-36 weeks in length, the courses are offered in pairs, or "blocks," designed to complement each other. In these programs, emphasis alternates 2 day courses or online classes, reading and online discussion and a work project to reinforce the practices and principles learned in the courses.

• HS University offers the following credential/license programs to enrolled students.

	Health Services Administrator Credential
	Health Services Supervisor Credential
	Health Services Management License

• Application Deadline

   

  The deadline for Fall #1 session is September.  Classes begins every 6 weeks.

  Why do I need a credential/license? Being a credential/license in Health Services professional makes all the difference.  Health workers who want recognition for their professional achievement and who want to unlock new career paths come to HS University for their credentials.

• What is an Health Services credential/license?
• Obtaining a Health Services credential/license is the next progression in a Health Manager professional career.  Beyond the educational degree, a professional credential/license denotes professional commitment and achievement and represents a "plus" feature of certifying knowledge and experience that meets or exceeds excellence in health services at the national level.  Professional health service workers agree to a critical review process that includes evaluation of the candidate's educational preparation, practice experience and peer review of observable skills and abilities.
• Why obtain a credential/license?
• Having a Health Services Credential/License means you:

1. --Become a part of the most widely recognized work organization in the nation

1. --Are recognized as having in-depth knowledge, proven work experience, leadership capacity, competence and dedication to the nutrtion work profession
2. --Agree to a critical review process that strives to measure adherence to a Code of Ethics, Standards of Continuing Education and in-depth practicum in the area of nutrition service specialized management practices
3. --Help Head Start programs develop a high quality, leadership skills within their program and develop systems and methodologies to ensure excellence in service.