The Regional Medical Consultants continue to support improvement in the health and wellness of Job Corps students. They are particularly concerned about health and wellness status as it relates to employability. To that end, they continue to support weight improvement initiatives and tobacco use prevention and cessation programs.

Three new medical initiatives follow below. The focus of each is to enhance student employability.

Pregnancy prevention: The target goal is a pregnancy rate of 5% or less for female students after entry. HMIS statistics reveal that significantly less than 25% of students who leave Job Corps for pregnancy via MSWR return to complete the program. The plan is to update the center health and wellness staff and provide them with the resources to offer the most up-to-date family planning methods available. Centers are also encouraged to track students who are on MSWR for pregnancy and help arrange child care for postpartum students who wish to return to complete their training.

Immunizations: The recommendation is for Job Corps to adopt current CDC immunization guidelines, updated on an annual basis. Morbidity from preventable infectious diseases like varicella and pertussis has significant impact on employability. Many immunizations are available through the Vaccines for Children Program and other public health resources.

Psychotropic medication management: Employability increases among Job Corps students who optimize adherence with their prescribed psychotropic medications. The goal is to access psychiatric consultation where available and/or provide continuing medical education for center physicians in order to enhance medication management on center.