Drug Screening Policy

All students accepted into a Health Careers Program are required to provide proof of a negative drug screen within a thirty (30) day period prior to clinical/practicum participation.

Angelina College and Health Careers Programs strictly prohibit any student from being in a clinical/practicum educational setting or on the campus under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or controlled substances. Students should be familiar with the institutional alcohol and drug policy as provided in the Angelina college Student Handbook (http://www.angelina.edu/student%20handbook/drugfree.htm)

If a student is suspected of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs in the clinical/practicum setting, the assigned clinical affiliate reserves the right to require a random drug test in accordance with its institutional policy. A student’s participation in the clinical/practicum program is conditioned upon the student willingness to waive any rights that the student may have and to consent to the initial drug testing, and subsequent random drug testing, if required by a clinical affiliate.

The cost for the drug screen is $40.00 and is the student’s responsibility to pay.

Certified Criminal Background Check

Purpose of Certified Criminal Background Check

The purpose of a certified background check policy is to:

1. Promote and protect patient/client safety
2. Comply with clinical affiliates who may require a student background check as a condition of their contract as stipulated by Joint commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO). (JCAHO requires verification of competency of all individuals who have direct contact with patients or employees. Competency extends beyond technical skills to an individual’s criminal history.)
3. Provide early identification  of students who may have difficulty meeting licensing/certifying/registry agencies’ eligibility for licensure/certification/registration requirements.
4. Promote early submission by students of petition for a declaratory order by the licensure/certification/registration agency.

Conduction of Certified Background Check

Effective Fall 2006, all applicants selected for a Health Careers Program at Angelina College will be required to have a successful certified background check prior to full admission to a health careers program. In each subsequent semester, certified background checks will be done for all re-entry students in each program.

Angelina College will designate the agency selected to do the certified background screening. The results of the background check will be sent directly to the Health Careers Division Director. All certified background information will be kept in confidential electronic files and archived as indicated by each program’s accrediting agency requirements. After electronic filing, the certified background information will be given to the student.

Successful completion of a certified background check is required for admission and continuation in all Health Careers Programs. Upon conditional acceptance into one of the health career programs, a letter will provide the student with the procedure to follow. The student will also sign a form indicating knowledge of the policy. The student will pay the cost of the background check to the designated agency (approximately $40).

Background checks will be honored for the duration of the student’s enrollment in the program if the participating student has not had a break in the enrollment of the program. A break in enrollment is defined as nonattendance of one full semester or more. As stated above, upon re-entry in to a program, a certified background check will be required.