NW CT AHEC offers two fantastic opportunities for young professionals to explore careers in healthcare while providing valuable community service. The first is the Youth Health Service Corps (YHSC) , which is an award winning health career recruitment program that engages high school students in quality service learning projects that address pressing community health issues. Through service, YHSC
members explore health careers while acquiring real life experience working with under served populations in community health care settings. YHSC Program Components
Successful YHSC members complete the following YHSC Program Components
- 6 Module Curriculum
-CPR Certification
-50+ Hours of Service
YHSC Program Standards
The YHSC Program is based on four sets of standards. Refer to each site for more information:
Academic Frameworks-refer to standards for each state
National Health Care Skill Standardswww.nchste.org
K-12 Service Learning Standards for Quality Practicewww.nylc.org
40 Developmental Assetswww.search-institute.org
YHSC National Program
The YHSC Program is implemented exclusively through the national AHEC network. Sixty AHECs in 22 states participate in the YHSC National Program. Since 2006, 3,000 YHSC members from AHECs across the nation have completed over 100,000 hours of service addressing pressing community health care issues. The YHSC National Program has received recognition from the National AHEC Organization, the National Health Service Corps, the Corporation for National and Community Service Learn and Serve America and AmeriCorps and the Council on Linkages between Academia and Public Health Practice. YHSC Leadership
The YHSC Program is directed by Tricia Harrity, Executive Director of Northwestern CT AHEC. Contact Tricia at [email protected] if you have questions about how your AHEC can benefit by becoming part of the National YHSC Program. The second is the Collegiate Health Service Corps (CHSC), which is a state-wide, service-learning program represented at five Connecticut universities. The Northwestern CT College Corps is composed of Western Connecticut State University students and based in Danbury. To start a CHSC at your college or university, contact Northwestern CT AHEC at [email protected]
The mission of the program is to recruit college students into health careers while providing outreach opportunities to promote preventative healthcare to the underserved communities. For more information, check out the program's website at: http://www.nwctahec.org/CHSC.HTML
