An association focused on improving health and wellness on college campuses is expanding its assessment tools beyond students.

The American College Health Association’s new National Faculty and Staff Health Assessment (NFSHA), announced this week, builds on the association’s research initiatives focused on students’ health habits and behaviors. By broadening the approach to include faculty and staff, ACHA hopes to better support overall campus health.

“To fully support student health and success, campus employees need to be supported in their own health and wellness,” ACHA Chief Research Officer Mary Hoban, Ph.D., said in a news release. “The ACHA-NFSHA can provide more accurate insight into the areas where an institution can make strides to improve the health of its employees.”

The survey, which is confidential, could help identify campus health problems, improve health resource allocation, and build on-campus dialogue about health issues. It may also be possible to use survey data in grant proposals.

“Equipped with data on employee health and wellness, colleges and universities can design evidence-based health promotion programs and allocate resources based upon measurable needs,” ACHA CEO Devin Jopp said in the news release.

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