As a leader in health education accreditation for over 40 years, ABHES has been nationally recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a private, non-profit, independent accrediting agency since 1968. It has been at the forefront of advancing the quality of health education programs throughout the country. ABHES enhances the quality of education and training and promotes institutional and programmatic accountability through systematic and consistent program evaluation. Its key is to assure the quality of the programs it accredits, and assist in the improvement of the programs. This quality-determination is accomplished by rigorous and systematic evaluation based on valid standards. The goals of ABHES focus on three key areas: recognition, resources, and service; all of which it believes are essential and paramount to achieving its mission. ABHES is recognized by the United States Secretary of Education for the accreditation of private, postsecondary institutions in the United States offering predominantly allied health education programs leading to a certificate, diploma, and degrees at the level of the Associate of Applied Science, Associate of Occupational Science, Academic Associate, Baccalaureate and Master's; and the programmatic accreditation of medical assisting, medical laboratory technology, and surgical technology programs, through the Associate degree, including those offered via distance education. The scope extends to the Substantive Change Committee, jointly with the Commission, for decisions on substantive change. ABHES accredits programmatically for the three programs identified above being taught in both public and private institutions. It also accredits institutionally outside of the allied health area, providing the institutions retain predominance in allied health. ABHES is an independent non-profit agency unrelated to any trade or membership organization.