Career College Central

Subscribe at www.careercollegecentral.com 35 AN ABHES PROFILE Founded: July 1995 Organizational Headquarters: Falls Church, Virginia MISSION STATEMENT: ABHES' stated mission is to enhance the quality of education and training and promote institutional and programmatic accountability through systematic and consistent program evaluation. The key to ABHES' mission is to assure the quality of the programs it accredits and assist in the improvement of the programs. This quality determination is accomplished by rigorous and systematic evaluation based on valid standards. ABHES' goals and objectives focus on three key areas: recognition, resources and service, all of which ABHES believes are essential and paramount to the achievement of its mission. ABHES RECOGNITIONS: • U.S. Department of Education • American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) • American Medical Technologists (AMT) • Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) • The National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) • Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE: ABHES Board of Commissioners • Current Chair John (Jack) A. Yena. • 13 members, including six appointed by the Commissioners themselves (either ABHES members or non-ABHES members) and seven elected by the accredited members from among its accredited institutions and programs. • At least two of the Commissioners represent the public, as defined by the U.S. Department of Education, and have no affiliation with an ABHES-accredited institution or program. Executive Director Assistant Executive Director Directors: • Director of Accreditation • Director of Institutional Development and Compliance • Director of Curricular Programs and Financial Assessment • Director of Operations • Chief Financial Officers and General Consul Managers Evaluation Coordinators ACCREDITED PROGRAMS AND INSTITUTIONS:* • Ross Medical • Penn Foster College • Pima Medical Institute • American Career College (Institution & Medical Laboratory Technician Programmatic) • CNI College Institute & Surgical Technology Programmatic • The College of Health Career Professions • Rasmussen College (MA Programmatic) • Ultimate Medical Academy • New York Methodist Hospital, Center for Allied Health Education (MA Programmatic) • Mohawk Valley Community College (Surgical Technology and MA Programmatic) *ABHES is recognized as a Specialized Accrediting Body because it accredits both programs and institutions. "Accreditation is important because once an institution or program has become eligible for recognition, it is expected that it will live up to the Department of Education's mission, which is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access," said Florence Tate, who has served as executive director of ABHES since November 2014. Tate is a former president of Potomac College in Washington, D.C., and has worked in postsecondary education for more than 30 years. Before leading ABHES, she served as commissioner and chair of the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET) and has participated in over 300 accreditation evaluation visits for three national accrediting agencies, including ABHES. Tate manages the operations of ABHES, including overseeing accreditation activities and staff. She serves as liaison to state and federal regulatory bodies, including the U.S. Department of Education, and works closely with other national accrediting agencies, as well as credentialing agencies in the health care disciplines. She is the primary liaison to the ABHES Commission and serves as staff liaison to a variety of committees, including the Commissioner Nominating. Tate said the mission of ABHES is to accredit institutions and programs through the establishment and application of standards that assure quality education prepares graduates for health care careers. FLORENCE TATE

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