About Our Services

Healthy Promotion Objectives*

• Develop health-related programs and policies that support student learning.
• Incorporate health promotion initiatives into academic research, courses and programs.
• Develop and participate in campus community partnerships that advance health.
• Advocate for campus, local, state and national policies that address campus and community health issues.
• Utilize campus and community resources to maximize the effectiveness of health promotion.
• Identify the social, cultural, political and economic disparities that influence the health of students.
• Design health promotion initiatives that reflect the social, cultural, political, and economic diversity of students.
• Review health promotion research from interdisciplinary sources as a guide for the development of health promotion services.
• Apply professionally recognized methods and tested theories to the development of health promotion.
• Review data gathered from published research on campus, local, state and national health priorities.
• Conduct population-based assessments of health status, needs, and assets of students.
• Evaluate health promotion initiatives using valid and reliable quantitative and qualitative approaches.
• Apply ethical principles to the practice of health promotion.

Educational Opportunities and Partnerships

Health Promotion offers opportunities to provide direct relevant experience for both undergraduate and graduate students in a variety of programs to enhance their academic career. The department partners with administrative and academic offices on campus in order to provide Service-Learning opportunities, Observation Studies, Cooperative Learning and Fieldwork experiences to related academic courses.

In addition, we also provide paid, part-time student work positions. Both graduate and undergraduate students are employed to provide outreach and programs, design eduational materials, implement grants and assist with research and data analysis.

Some examples of collaborative partnerships:

• Service-Learning site for students in Health Psychology.
• Recipient of US Department of Education Model Programs Award and $176,922 grant incollaboration with the Department of Health and Nutrition Sciences.
• Co-sponsor with School of the Arts Day withOut Art (World AIDS DAY).
• Facilitate workshops on Alcohol and Decision Making for New Student Seminar classes.

Mission
The department of Heath Promotion provides education, outreach, and advocacy to enhance the health of all students, faculty and staff through advances in health promotion theory and research; excellence in health education practices; and the promotion of public policies conducive to health. 

The goal is to eliminate health disparities in student populations;  increase culturally competent health promotion services;   utilize best practices in health  promotion and disease prevention; describe the relationships between health status, student retention, and academic success; while utilizing theoretical and evidence-based methods of health promotion.

In support of the mission of Montclair State University, Health Promotion provides student-centered information, conversation and referrals as students pursue their academic goals. 

Drop In Center
A component of Health Promotion, the Drop In Center is a student-run facility.  Students who are trained as Peer Advocates staff the Drop In Center during the semester.  Weekly groups such as meditation and creative arts, are also offered throughout the semester.  Check our website for the current schedule.

Programs and Services

Health Promotion provides Montclair State University a variety of services to create a healthy campus community.  Among these services include:

Programs and outreach
Public advocacy and policy change
Peer Advocacy
Weekly Groups
Safe Space Program*
Research (data collection and analysis)
Academic learning experiences
Health information resource center
Student employment (graduate and undergraduate)

Some examples of student health issues:
Stress management
Sexual health
Alcohol
Tobacco
Body image
Sleep
Cold/Flu
Media literacy

 

*Founded by the gay and Lesbian Faculty and Staff Association, Health Promotion co-sponsors the program. The GLBT Safe Space Program identifies offices of MSU faculty and staff that are safe places for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.

 

Ways to Get Involved

Peer Advocates
Peer Advocates are student volunteers who have been trained to provide peer education, referral and health advocacy services to other students.  Our volunteers bring a first-hand perspective to current health and social issues.  Peer Advocates help develop and implement new initiatives in order to execute programs they recognize as critical to the campus in order to help others foster healthy lifestyle choices. They promote social change on campus by providing workshops, discussion groups, information and materials, and someone to talk to about health and social issues.  Their actions are all in an effort to create an actively healthy change for the community.  Peer Advocates are an energetic and diverse group of students who are committed to making a difference for the campus community.

REBEL U
REBEL U is a diverse, student-driven tobacco prevention movement whose purpose is to increase awareness of the dangers of tobacco use, to expose tobacco industry manipulation, and to promote healthy lifestyle choices on New Jersey college campuses.  Students accomplish this by creating innovative educational activities, collaborating with other campus organizations, and advocating policy change for the rights of the tobacco-free majority.

ACADEMIC
Academic learning experiences through Service-Learning, Cooperative Learning, Observation and Field Work Studies.

What is health promotion?
Health promotion is the process of enabling people to increase control over, and improve their health.  It represents a comprehensive social and political structure, not only strengthening individual skills, but also striving efforts towards social, environmental and economic change in attempts to reduce their impact on individual and overall public health.

What is health education?
Health education is one major strategy of health promotion and focuses on developing and enhancing skills, self-efficacy (confidence) and motivation in order to engage in healthy behaviors for both the individual and the community. 

What is health advocacy?
Health advocacy is another strategy of health promotion and may be taken on by and/or on behalf of individuals to create living conditions conducive to health and the achievement of healthy lifestyles.  Advocacy includes a combination of individual and social actions aimed to gain political and policy support and social acceptance for a particular health goal.

*definitions adapted from the World Health Organization’s Health Promotion Glossary www.WHO/HPR/HEP/98.1

Where to find us

Bohn Hall
Grants and Research
Informational Brochures
Health Resources
Safer Sex Supplies
Hours*: Monday – Friday 8:30– 4:30

Drop In Center (the little cottage between the Student Center and College Hall). 
Peer Advocates
Weekly groups
Informational Brochures
Health Resources
Safer Sex Supplies
Hours*: Monday - Friday 9:00 am– 7:00 pm

973-655-7397

www.montclair.edu/health/HP

 

*Hours during the regular academic term.  Summer hours subject to change.  Evening and Weekend  Programs are available with proper advanced  notification. 

 

 

*Based upon the Standards of Practice for Health Promotion in Higher Education. The full document can be viewed at www.acha.org/info_resources/SPHPHE.cfm.