Texas Administrative Code
Title 19 - EDUCATION
Part 2 - TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY
Chapter 115 - TEXAS ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS FOR HEALTH EDUCATION
Subchapter C - HIGH SCHOOL
Section 115.40 - Your Health in the Real World (One-Half Credit), Adopted 2020
Universal Citation: 19 TX Admin Code ยง 115.40
Current through Reg. 49, No. 38; September 20, 2024
(a) General requirements. Students shall be awarded one-half credit for successful completion of this course. This course is recommended for students in Grades 9-12.
(b) Introduction.
(1) Living your best life is understanding
how to navigate the health care system. The objective of this course is to
empower students and their families to sustain or improve their quality of life
as it relates to their own health and the health of their community. To achieve
this objective, students will understand health care terminology as it relates
to insurance and public health. Further, students will acquire the knowledge
and skills needed to utilize community, state, and federal health care services
and related resources.
(2) Health
class educators are encouraged to partner with school counselors where
available to schedule time for them to deliver classroom guidance lessons to
help teach these essential competencies. In addition, areas in the standards
related to abuse, neglect, violence, loss, grief, trauma, and suicide may
directly affect some students in the classroom. Should the educator recognize
signs of discomfort with instruction in these areas, students should be
referred to the appropriate resource, identified ahead of such instruction, for
additional help and support.
(3) An
integral part of health education involves educators being aware of state laws
relevant to human sexuality instruction. These laws include affirming:
(A) a local school district's control over
the provision of human sexuality instruction to ensure that local community
values are reflected in that instruction (Texas Education Code (TEC),
§28.004(e)-(h));
(B) the right
of a parent or legal guardian to be informed of the provision of human
sexuality instruction to their child and review the content of that instruction
(TEC, §
28.004(i)-(j)
);
(C) the right of a parent or
legal guardian to remove their child from any portion of human sexuality
instruction without penalty to the child (TEC, §
28.004(i)
);
(D) the centrality of abstinence
education in any human sexuality curriculum (TEC, §
28.004(e)
); and
(E) the right of a parent or
legal guardian to be informed of and consent to an abortion performed on their
pregnant child (with judicially authorized or medical emergency exceptions)
(Texas Family Code, Chapter 33).
(4) Educators also should be aware of and
abide by the statutory prohibition on taxpayer resource transactions between
state governmental entities, including public schools, and abortion providers
or an affiliate of an abortion provider (Texas Government Code, Chapter
2272).
(5) Statements containing
the word "including" reference content that must be mastered, while those
containing the phrase "such as" are intended as possible illustrative
examples.
(6) Students should first
seek guidance in the area of health from a parent or legal guardian.
(c) Knowledge and skills.
(1) Health literacy--health consumerism. The
student understands medical terminology in health decision making. The student
is expected to:
(A) define medical
expressions or terms used by health care professionals; and
(B) define basic terminology for general use
such as reading prescription labels.
(2) Health literacy--health consumerism. The
student interprets personal medical information for health decision making. The
student is expected to:
(A) interpret and
explain take-home instructions from a health care professional;
(B) identify normal vital signs, including
temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, body mass index (BMI), oxygen, and
blood glucose levels;
(C) interpret
medication labels, including supplements and over-the-counter and prescription
drugs; and
(D) analyze the
importance of each component of personal medical history, including
immunizations, previous treatments, current medical records, and family
history.
(3) Health
literacy--health consumerism. The student analyzes the different facets of
health insurance. The student is expected to:
(A) differentiate between types of insurance,
including health, vision, and dental insurance;
(B) evaluate the advantages, disadvantages,
and costs of public and private insurance benefits;
(C) analyze key components of insurance,
including copay and deductible;
(D)
describe different ways to pay for health care, including paying cash, health
savings accounts, and flexible spending accounts; and
(E) interpret the components of a medical
bill such as the explanation of benefits (EOB).
(4) Health literacy--health consumerism. The
student identifies the proper use of medications and becomes familiar with the
effects of pharmaceuticals. The student is expected to:
(A) compare and contrast the differences
between generic and name-brand medications;
(B) identify cost differentials of similar
medications and the rights of the consumer, including the ability to ask a
pharmacist for other options;
(C)
explain the limitations of medications, including the differences between
symptomatic treatment and treatment for a cure;
(D) identify different types of improper use
of medications, including using expired medications and using, overusing, and
misusing non-prescribed medications;
(E) identify ways to properly dispose of
medications and equipment and explain the importance of proper disposal;
and
(F) explain what Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) approval means and compare with off-label use.
(5) Health literacy--patient
advocacy. The student identifies alternatives to health insurance coverage. The
student is expected to:
(A) research and
describe available health care sharing plans;
(B) identify the options of community health
care resources, including federally qualified healthcare centers (FQHC) and
non-profit community clinics; and
(C) identify available health care community
resources such as medical, dental, vision, pharmacy, x-ray, and laboratory
services.
(6) Health
literacy--patient advocacy. The student demonstrates proper patient/health care
professional communication. The student is expected to:
(A) define the Health Information Privacy and
Portability Act (HIPPA) and explain how it relates to confidentiality of
medical records;
(B) identify
patient rights, including rights to sexually transmitted disease/sexually
transmitted infection (STD/STI) testing and pregnancy health care and explain
physician privileges;
(C) define
the role of a chaperone in a medical setting, including the patient's ability
to request or remove one;
(D)
demonstrate how to have a collaborative conversation with a health care
professional, including asking questions and advocating for self and
others;
(E) analyze the impact of
medical bias on health outcomes; and
(F) evaluate resources relevant to patients'
legal rights, including the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services'
Patient's Bill of Rights (2020).
(7) Health literacy--health applications and
technology. The student analyzes and evaluates software applications and other
technology as they relate to personal health care. The student is expected to:
(A) compare and contrast remote (telehealth
and e-medicine) and in-person health care and treatment;
(B) research and describe the effects of
inequitable distribution of technology in health care, including medical
facilities and home environments;
(C) differentiate between credible and false
health information on the internet and social media;
(D) analyze the risks of sharing private
health information; and
(E)
evaluate the use and effectiveness of a personal fitness device or health
application.
(8) Health
literacy--navigating the health care system. The student examines and
interprets various health insurance plans, government guidelines for health
plans, and coverage of non-traditional health care. The student is expected to:
(A) compare and contrast insurance plans,
including health maintenance organization (HMO), preferred provider
organization (PPO), Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children's Health Insurance
Program (CHIP);
(B) research and
explain current federal, state, and local government guidelines for health
insurance; and
(C) distinguish
between insurable and non-insurable health services, including elective
procedures and integrative and non-traditional health care.
(9) Health care
occupations--working within the health care system. The student explores
different careers in the health care industry and analyzes their various roles.
The student is expected to:
(A) explore and
describe a variety of careers in the health care industry; and
(B) analyze the various roles in the health
care delivery system, including health care administration, health care
professionals, public health professionals, corporate health care, and research
and development.
(10)
Public health--policy resources. The student understands the resources
available for protecting and improving the health of people and their local,
national, and international communities. The student is expected to:
(A) identify the roles of leading public
health organizations such as county health departments, the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), and the World Health Organization
(WHO);
(B) compare and contrast
U.S. and global health issues;
(C)
explain the ways that local, state, national, and international organizations
support public health; and
(D)
analyze the effects of public policy on the prevention of communicable and
noncommunicable diseases.
(11) Public health--policy recommendations.
The student applies public health resources to create solutions to daily health
challenges. The student is expected to:
(A)
research and discuss an emerging health issue or topic such as health equity or
a pandemic;
(B) appraise the impact
of leading health organizations on emerging health issues and topics;
(C) explore and explain the effects of
environmental policy on public health;
(D) analyze the interconnectedness of
different sectors of the health care industry and how they improve public
health; and
(E) evaluate the impact
of public health policy on emergency preparedness.
(12) Public health--mental health. The
student recognizes the interconnectedness of mental health and public health.
The student is expected to:
(A) examine the
relationship between mental health and physical health;
(B) evaluate the importance of social
interaction and its impact on health;
(C) describe the connection between mental
health and the increase in homelessness and incarceration; and
(D) analyze the impact of social stigma on
accessing mental health services, including barriers to treatment.
(13) Prevention--healthy living.
The student evaluates the effects of health behaviors on preventing disease.
The student is expected to:
(A) appraise the
effect of biological family medical history (genetics), including maternal and
paternal, on health outcomes or risk for illness;
(B) evaluate the benefits of regular
checkups;
(C) classify primary,
secondary, and tertiary preventions;
(D) define comorbidities and their impact on
health;
(E) examine health risk
factors such as sedentary lifestyle and poor diet that can lead to negative
health outcomes;
(F) research and
describe preventative services covered by insurance plans;
(G) explain the importance of vaccines across
the lifespan;
(H) evaluate the
effectiveness of a personal health plan that includes nutrition, exercise,
healthy weight, and sleep in preventing chronic disease; and
(I) evaluate the effectiveness of prevention
campaigns on health behavior such as substance use, misuse, and
abuse.
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