Introduction to Public Health

Introduction to public health approaches for the prevention and control of disease and injury, drawn from epidemiology, health policy, behavioral health, environmental health, community organizing, maternal and child health and other public health disciplines. Examination of contemporary health challenges with an emphasis on addressing social determinants to improve health for all.

Personal and Community Health

Critical analysis of the causes and contributors to individual and community health and illness based on public health and other social and behavioral sciences. Exploration of physical, mental, social and political aspects of health along with causes, consequences, prevention strategies and treatments for major health conditions across the life cycle.

Ethics and Counseling in Addiction and Recovery

Introduction to ethical and legal issues in counseling people with substance use disorders. Study frameworks for addressing ethical and legal issues, including a variety of socio-cultural models, and develop an understanding of laws, code of ethics, and client rights. The relationship between personal values and professional behavior will be explored along with an Introduction to client-centered counseling skills and practice.

Drugs, Health, and Society

This course offers an examination of the history of alcohol, tobacco, and drug use. From a public health perspective, students will analyze drug policies and their impact on the health of culturally diverse, marginalized, and low income communities. Students will also develop skills to advocate for policy change.

Health and Aging

Introduction to gerontology for students pursuing careers in the aging field and those who will work with older adults in various work settings. Employs a multidisciplinary perspective, incorporating biology, psychology, sociology, and public health approaches and combining gerontology theory, research, and practice with social justice and multicultural perspectives.

Healthcare Quality and Reimbursement

This course explores healthcare quality and emerging pay-for-performance reimbursement methodologies. Analyzes the complexities of quality, the measurement and improvement of quality, and explores measures from a variety of organizations and comparison sites. Introduction to key theories and concepts, models of quality improvement as the basis for improved outcomes and reimbursement.

Professional Practice II

Provide students with advanced, hands-on specialty professional practice experience in performing specific activities in the HIM setting. Emphasis on legal aspects, quality and risk management, utilization review, management and supervision, CPT and ICD coding, DRG assignment, healthcare statistics and electronic health records. One unit of credit is earned for 54 hours of unpaid or paid work.

Professional Practice I

Provides students with supervised professional practice experience preparation, explores and refines the knowledge and skills for a health Information management student, provides practice reviews for national exam and develops professionalism. This preparation is the first course of a two-part series.The second course is the professional practice experience.