Advocacy

ACA/Student Health Insurance   |    Creating Guidance for Addressing Sexual Assault   |    Social Justice to Address Diminished Health Outcomes    |    Vaccines

ACHA provides continuous and timely advocacy for policies and programs that support the health and well-being of college students and their campus communities.

ACHA's committees, coalitions, and task forces continually identify advocacy issues that are important to those in the college health field. The association provides members with up-to-date information concerning relevant national public policy issues affecting the health of college students. Where necessary and appropriate, ACHA weighs in to influence public policymaking (legislative and regulatory) with the continual aim of protecting and advancing students' health. Members of ACHA enjoy the benefits of having a nationally recognized association take on the issues that are important to them.

The following page is a list of areas to which ACHA is dedicating advocacy efforts. Resources on these issues are also provided.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA)/Student Health Insurance

ACA Advocacy Initiative

ACHA continues to monitor implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and issues impacting student health insurance coverage. As part of its this initiative, ACHA is advocating for the need to maintain the affordability and quality of coverage offered by student health plans. Learn more.

Protecting Students from Sexual Assault

Creating Guidance for Addressing Sexual Assault Task Force

This ACHA task force provides leadership as association advocates for evidence-based strategies that promote effective prevention, victim-centered response and services, and perpetrator accountability. The group is also charged with developing ACHA resources, including the guidelines Addressing Sexual and Relationship Violence on College and University Campuses [pdf], related to sexual assault prevention and response on college campuses. To learn more, click here.

Campus Safety and Accountability Act Input


Social Justice to Address Diminished Health Outcomes

As a principal component of the core values of our association, ACHA fully embraces social justice, human dignity, and respect for all. We recognize that denial of social justice can contribute to diminished health outcomes and quality of life. Accordingly, the association has adopted the following organizational positions* with regard to matters of equality and human rights:

Vaccines

Statement in Support of Vaccine Use to Promote Health and Prevent Disease

ACHA strongly supports the use of vaccines to protect the health of our individual students and our campus communities.
Read the Full Statement

Vaccine Approval and Preservation of the ACIP Process

ACHA, along with several other organizations, provided organizational support for an official comment letter from the March of Dimes to the House Energy and Commerce Committee as that body considers language for the House of Representatives’ 21st Centuries Cures Initiative.
Read the Letter [pdf]




Lobbying Activities Disclosure: Based on the 2014 audited financial statements, The American College Health Association spent 3% of total revenue on advocacy and representation. Of that, zero was spent on direct lobbying activities.