School of Health, Wellness & Public Safety (HWPS)

Main Campus, Jeannette Stromberg Hall • (505) 224-4111

The School of Health, Wellness & Public Safety (HWPS) is committed to providing a positive learning experience to improve, enrich and expand opportunities in students’ lives. HWPS offers credit programs that lead to certificates, associate degrees and skill upgrading. Credit programs range in length from 12 weeks to 20 months and start in January, May or August. Most programs have prerequisite and required courses that must be completed with a grade of C or better. Although some of the HWPS programs are open enrollment, many of the programs require a petition process for admission.

The CNM website provides more information on each program in the “Areas of Study” pages. For more information contact the School of Health, Wellness, and Public Safety by calling (505) 224-4111 or by visiting the School website at cnm.edu/depts/hwps/index.php

General Program Information

The School of Health, Wellness & Public Safety provides both entry and advanced level training and skill upgrading in a variety of health care, wellness, public safety and community service fields. Certificates and associate degrees are awarded upon completion of program requirements.

Classes are held at the Main, Montoya, South Valley, Westside campuses and CNM Workforce Training Center as well as at various community agency sites. Students may experience supervised clinical, practicum or internship training at community agencies and organizations. Programs of study in the School of Health, Wellness & Public Safety include; Clinical Laboratory Assistant (CLA), Cosmetology (COS), Court Reporting (CR), Criminal Justice (CJ), Dental Assisting (DA), Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMS), Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Fire Science (FS), Fitness Technician (FITT), Health Information Technology (HIT), Health Unit Coordinator (HUC), Judicial Studies (JUD), Medical Coding (HIT), Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT), Nursing Assistant (NA), Nursing Home/Health Attendant (NAHA), Nursing Degree (ADN), Paralegal Studies (PL), Pharmacy Technician (PT), Phlebotomy (PHLB), Radiologic Technology (RADT), Respiratory Therapy (RT), Surgical Technology (ST), Veterinary Technology (VT)

All Health, Wellness & Public Safety programs except Nursing Assistant (NA) and Nursing Home/Home Health Attendant (NAHA) require a high school diploma or equivalent and completion of the CNM placement tests to enroll. Most programs have prerequisites that must be met prior to enrolling in major courses. Health, Wellness & Public Safety programs require that students be in good physical condition and free of health conditions that could endanger themselves or others. Because of the widespread use of latex products, individuals who have an allergy to latex may find it difficult to successfully complete a Health, Wellness & Public Safety School program. Students may be required to have a physical exam and immunizations at their own expense. Credit by examination (challenge) is available for selected courses. Students should refer to the Program Descriptions for more specific information on admission and petition processes.

All School of Health, Wellness & Public Safety Career and Technical courses require a traditional grade of A, B or C to meet graduation requirements — or as otherwise indicated by the Program of Study. For School of Health, Wellness & Public Safety career and technical courses only offered for CR/NC, a grade of CR must be earned.

Pre- and corequisites are listed in course descriptions and are subject to change with each new catalog. It is the student’s responsibility to meet the pre and/or corequisites in effect for the term in which a course is taken, regardless of the catalog under which the student entered or will graduate. Students may be prevented from enrolling or may be disenrolled if pre or corequisites are not met. Students who have successfully completed courses that no longer exist from previous catalogs will be accommodated.

Special Program Requirements

All Health Sciences programs require a health screening done by a licensed healthcare provider that verifies the student to be in good physical condition and free of health conditions that could endanger themselves or others. Many health programs require the student to be able to safely lift and/or move a minimum of 50 pounds. Students with a latex allergy may have difficulty completing a health program due to the widespread use of latex products in the healthcare setting.

Students in Health Sciences programs are required to undergo routine urine drug screening. For more information visit cnm.edu/depts/hwps/Drug_Screen.php

Health Sciences students may need to complete a criminal background screening prior to starting the program or prior to beginning their clinical experiences. For more information visit cnm.edu/depts/hwps/disqualifying_convictions.php

The State of New Mexico requires a criminal history screening on all allied health and nursing students (7.1.9 NMAC). Students with a felony conviction may not be able to complete program requirements, become licensed or certified, or gain employment in healthcare, public safety or fitness. Disqualifying felony convictions include: homicide, trafficking in controlled substances, kidnapping, false imprisonment, aggravated assault or aggravated battery, rape, criminal sexual penetration, criminal sexual contact, incest, indecent exposure or other related sexual offenses, crimes involving adult abuse, neglect or financial exploitation, crimes involving child abuse or neglect, crimes involving robbery, larceny, burglary, extortion, forgery, embezzlement, credit card fraud, receiving stolen property or an attempt, solicitation or conspiracy involving any of the felony convictions listed above. Students who have a history of these convictions should contact the New Mexico Department of Health, Division of Health Improvement at the following website dhi.health.state.nm.us/cchsp. If a student’s background check results in a disqualifying event they have the opportunity to appeal it through a process known as “administrative reconsideration.” Some programs do not allow the student to remain in the program pending administrative reconsideration but most programs do allow students to remain in the program and attend classes while they undergo administrative reconsideration. However, students will be immediately removed from the program should they not be given clearance from the state following administrative reconsideration.

Students with a disqualifying conviction, not resolved by the administrative reconsideration, will be removed or will not be allowed to remain in the program; additionally any student found to have a disqualifying felony conviction will not be allowed to register for any of the Allied Health or Nursing Programs.

Court Reporting

School of Health, Wellness & Public Safety

CONTACT INFORMATION

Program information is available from the School of Health, Wellness & Public Safety office at (505) 224-4111 or Academic Advisement and Career Development  (505) 224-4321 or from Program Director/Chair at (505) 224-3894.

cnm.edu/depts/hwps/progs

• Certificate of Completion in Court Reporting 
• Certificate of Achievement in Stenotranscription 

Program Description

Students study machine shorthand theory and computer real-time technology with an emphasis on speed building and accuracy. Introduction to Court Reporting involves instruction on the theory principles used to write steno on the machine. Machine Shorthand II, III, IV, and V contain speed requirements that must be met in order to advance to the next level. These courses are open/entry, open/exit.

Special Requirements

Students should purchase a basic manual steno machine before entering the program for use at home in order to practice and complete homework assignments. Computerized steno machines are provided for use in the classrooms and in Room 219 of Smith-Brasher Hall for students to use outside of their regular class time.

Career and Educational Opportunities

One hundred percent of court reporting graduates who have passed the New Mexico State Exam are employed as court reporters. Other graduates who have moved to states not requiring a state exam are also employed as court reporters.

Graduates may apply for a provisional license with the New Mexico CCR Board. This would allow the graduate to be employed as a court reporter for up to two years while attempting to pass the state exam.

Employment opportunities include working as an official reporter in court, a freelance reporter in a deposition firm, a captioner for television stations, a CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation) writer for the hearing impaired, medical transcriptionist and hearing reporter.

Exit competencies (see Program Exit Competencies ) for this program of study are available at cnm.edu/exitcomp.

For the graduation policy refer to the Moving On  section, cnm.edu or the Students tab in my CNM.

Students should see an academic advisor to customize their educational plans. Students must meet prerequisites by placement scores or specific course work. Please see Course Descriptions for prerequisite(s) information.

See Prerequisite Requirement Guide  for Accuplacer score equivalencies.