The admission requirements vary from program to program. The following are general admission requirements for all Health Occupations classes. Many classes have additional requirements which are included with the specific course information.

• Able to communicate effectively in English. Students may sign up for English as a Second Language (ESL) offered at SCC free of charge.
• Ability to read at the eighth grade level (minimum).
• Ability to perform basic math calculations at the seventh grade level (minimum).

Students must also be able to meet the Essential Functions of Core Performance Standards.

ALL CLASSES WITH A CLINICAL COMPONENT REQUIRE A NEGATIVE 2-STEP TB TEST OR CHEST X-RAY, AN ACCEPTABLE BACKGROUND SCREENING FROM THE FAMILY CARE SAFETY REGISTRY AND A URINE DRUG SCREEN.

St. Charles Community College requires some students to provide proof they are free from tuberculosis by completing a 2-step TB Test.

The negative 2-Step TB test can be done at any qualified medical facility – doctor's office, urgent care center, clinic, county health department, etc. The two individual tests must be done within one month of each other (per CDC guidelines) and the series cannot be older than 12 months.

Step One: TB test is administered at a qualified facility. Individual returns to facility within 48-72 hours (as directed by testing facility) to have the test "read" and receive written results.

Step Two: Individual returns to a qualified facility within one month of their first TB test to have the entire procedure completed a second time. Most facilities require at least one full week in between tests.

St. Charles Community College requires copies of BOTH test results in order to fulfill the 2-step TB test requirement.

Individuals who test positive for TB, who have a known reaction to the TB test, or who prefer another option can have a chest X-ray taken or have a TB blood test performed. If a chest X-ray is done, the individual must submit a copy of the "result of findings" report. This report needs to indicate the individual is free from active disease and be signed and dated by the doctor who read the X-ray. Chest X-ray results must be dated within the last three years. If a TB blood test is completed, the individual must submit documentation of the negative results of that test.

The Family Care Safety Registry (FCSR) is the background screening required by the St. Charles Community College Health Occupations program for any students taking a class with a clinical component.

Students must be registered with the Missouri Family Care Safety Registry (FCSR) and provide a copy of the results from an acceptable background screening through that agency. The results cannot be dated earlier than 90 days from the day you register.

There is a small fee charged for this service through the FCSR. Online registration is available at http://www.health.mo.gov/safety/fcsr. Once completed, results from the screening will be mailed directly to the registrant.

Individuals who are already registered with the FCSR will need to call them directly at 866-422-6872 to request updated screening results.

Please note: The name the FCSR screening MUST match the name on the students registration form.

For additional information regarding the registry or your status on the registry, call their toll-free number: 866-422-6872 (8 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday CST).

If the background screening results report adverse findings, students will need to meet with the Health Occupations Program coordinator and receive approval to register for class. For appointments, please contact the coordinator directly at 636-922-8284.

Students completing class or clinical hours during the months of September through March will be required to receive a seasonal flu vaccine. These vaccines can be obtained through your personal physician, an urgent care center, walk-in clinic, county health departments, etc.

For questions of concerns about this requirement, please contact the Health Occupations Program coordinator at 636-922-8284.

The MMR vaccine series consists of two immunizations. Many individuals receive these vaccines as children. St. Charles Community College requires proof that you have received, or are receiving, this series in one of the following ways:

For those who have received the MMR vaccine series previously (whether as children or adults) – Documentation of completion of the entire vaccine series is required upon initial class registration. Please provide official shot records from your physician’s office (current or past).

For those who have received the vaccine series but do not have official documentation – Documentation of a positive vaccine titer is required upon initial class registration. A titer is a blood test that can be run at any qualified medical facility to determine the presence of the specific antibodies necessary to confirm immunity. Please provide official paperwork confirming the completion of this blood titer and indicating the presence of those antibodies (immunities).

For those who have never received the vaccine series or who do not receive a positive titer – Documentation of at least the first immunization in the series is required upon initial class registration. The second immunization is typically given one month after the first and individuals will need to provide documentation of the second immunization (per CDC guidelines) once it is completed. The entire series must be completed prior to beginning clinical hours.

For questions about this requirement, please contact the Health Occupations Program coordinator at 636-922-8284.

The Hepatitis B vaccine series consists of three immunizations. St. Charles Community College requires proof that you have received this series in one of the following ways:

For those who have received the Hepatitis B immunization series previously – Documentation of completion of the entire vaccine series is required upon initial class registration. Please provide official shot records from your physician’s office (current or past).

For those who received the vaccine series but do not have official documentation – Documentation of a positive vaccine titer is required upon initial class registration. A titer is a blood test that can be run at any qualified medical facility to determine the presence of the specific antibodies necessary to confirm immunity. Please provide official paperwork confirming the completion of this blood titer and indicating the presence of those antibodies (immunities).

For those who have never received the vaccine series or who do not receive a positive titer – Documentation of at least the first immunization in the series is required upon initial class registration. The second immunization is administered 30 days after the first (per CDC guidelines) and individuals must provide documentation of that immunization once it is administered. The third immunization is administered six months after the first and documentation will need to be provided if the series is completed during the course.

For questions about this requirement, please contact the Health Occupations Program coordinator at 636-922-8284.

Registrations are processed in the Health Occupations main office from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday. The address is #1 Academy Place, Dardenne Prairie, MO 63368. Some programs allow faxed/mailed-in registrations (see individual class pages for specific requirements). The Health Occupations office does not accept telephone registrations. PLEASE NOTE: PAYMENT IS DUE AT THE TIME OF REGISTRATION.

SCC Health Occupations programs are NOT eligible for financial aid. All tuition/fees are due at time of registration and are non-refundable and non-transferable.

Cash, check, money orders or credit/debit cards (excluding American Express) are accepted for tuition and fees.

Health occupations programs are non-refundable and non-transferable. Because these programs are self-supporting, the decision to run a class is based on the number of students enrolled. The college reserves the right to cancel a class if sufficient enrollment is not achieved. Full refunds will be issued to students for classes cancelled by the college.

SCC does not provide job placement services. Occasionally job opportunities are posted in NAH 130 and NAH 132 as well as in ADM 1204. Job search assistance is also available on the Career Services Center Web page.

St. Charles Community College is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Courses taken for "credit" at SCC will be accepted in transfer by other colleges, provided they are appropriate to the degree sought. "Non-credit" or certificate classes will not show up on a transcript and are not usually accepted for transfer by other institutions.

Attendance in class each scheduled week is expected; however, the instructors understand that emergencies can arise. Students are expected to call in and leave a message for the instructor if an absence is unavoidable. Excessive absenteeism or tardiness may result in disciplinary action or removal from class.

An open-entry class does not have a set start and end date, but runs on a rotating cycle. The CNA Program runs year-round so students can register for the CNA class and usually start within three weeks of registration. We do not take registrations more than four weeks before a student is ready to start class.

Clinical assignments are handled differently for each program. Please refer to your specific program information for details regarding clinical assignments.

The CNA Program consists of the classroom portion, the clinical internship and the final exam. Most students average about five months to complete the entire program.

The state of Missouri has very specific guidelines for allowing an individual to bypass the class and challenge the final exam. Students must contact the Department of Health and Senior Services directly at 573-526-5686 in order to receive a permission to challenge letter. This letter, along with a negative 2-step TB test and an acceptable background screening from the Family Care Safety Registry are required in order to register for the exam. Challenge exams are scheduled approximately four to six weeks after the student registers.

Students who need additional clarification regarding health occupations classes offered by St. Charles Community College can call the Health Occupations office at 636-922-8295 or can submit their questions via email to kthompson@stchas.edu. PLEASE NOTE: THE MEMBERS OF THE OFFICE STAFF IN NAH 102 ARE NOT QUALIFIED TO PROVIDE ACADEMIC OR CAREER COUNSELING TO STUDENTS.

Students who have questions about Missouri certifications can visit the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) website at http://health.mo.gov/safety/cnaregistry/faqs.php.