What is RHSC?
RHSC is a statewide California full-spectrum sexual and reproductive health training initiative funded by the California Department of Health Care Access and Information. We train the entire healthcare team to expand access to equitable, timely, and compassionate care.
Our History
The Reproductive Health Service Corps emerged from a groundbreaking collaboration of six leading organizations in reproductive healthcare —
- NSRH (Nurses for Sexual & Reproductive Health)
- TEACH (Training in Early Abortion for Comprehensive Healthcare)
- ACTIONS (Abortion Care Training Incubator for Outstanding Nurse Scholars)
- CSU East Bay Department of Nursing
- Black Midwifery Fellowship
- UCSF School of Nursing
These visionary organizations united their expertise, resources, and commitment before RHSC’s formal establishment, creating a powerful coalition dedicated to expanding sexual and reproductive health education throughout California’s healthcare workforce.
The History of RHSC
The formation of RHSC resulted from the collaborative efforts of six organizations — NSRH, TEACH, ACTIONS, CSU East Bay, Black Midwifery Fellowship, and UCSF School of Nursing. These organizations united before RHSC’s establishment, bringing their collective experience and resources to expand sexual and reproductive health education and training across the healthcare workforce, which now represents the broader purpose of RHSC.
Who is RHSC Abortion Training for?
Licensed Midwives, Certified Nurse Midwives, Registered Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, Physician’s Associates, Licensed Vocational Nurses, Doulas, Medical Assistants, Community Health Workers, Paramedics, EMTs and Physicians.
Abortion Training For:
- Licensed Midwives
- Certified Nurse Midwives
- Registered Nurses
- Nurse Practitioners
- Physician’s Associates
- Licensed Vocational Nurses
- Doulas
- Medical Assistants
- Community Health Workers
- Paramedics
- Emergency Medical Technicians
- Physicians
Partners:
- Black Midwifery Fellowship (BMF)
- Cal State University – East Bay Department of Nursing (CSU-EB)
- Nurses for Sexual & Reproductive Health (NSRH)
- TEACH (Training in Early Abortion for Comprehensive Healthcare)
- University of California, San Francisco School of Nursing (UCSF-SON) Primary Care Advanced Practice Nursing Specialties
- Abortion Care Training Incubator for Outstanding Nurse Scholars
Our Goals
Diversify
Patients need and deserve access to culturally congruent care. As part of the strategy to address health disparities, the Reproductive Health Service Corps will help ensure our workforce better reflects the diversity of the communities they serve. Paired with funds for the Clinical Infrastructure Fund, there is an upfront investment in the development and retention of our future reproductive healthcare workforce so that diverse and historically excluded populations avoid taking on crippling debt.
Train
All individuals should have access to reproductive health care in their own communities with their trusted provider. Training is essential for both aspiring and existing health care professionals to meet current and future workforce needs in communities who lack access to sexual and reproductive healthcare, with all professionals equipped with the knowledge and skills to provide abortion care within their scope of practice.
Provide
Learners and existing providers, competently trained, will help expand access to equitable, timely, and compassionate healthcare by addressing the provider gap in rural and underserved communities in California.
Funding + CEs Available
- Virtual education on medication abortion, aspiration abortion, counseling, complications management
- Hands-on, skills-based training workshops
- Application-based funding and support for clinical rotations in abortion
- Abortion Training Curriculum with CEUs available
Interested? Contact us!
About NSRH
Within RHSC’s collaborative model, NSRH focuses specifically on providing didactic education and clinical training for RNs, LVNs, Doulas, Medical Assistants, Paramedics/EMTs, and Community Health Workers through safe, supportive learning environments designed to disrupt systems of oppression in reproductive healthcare.
NSRH convenes interprofessional provider teams to deliver specialized abortion care education within each discipline’s scope of practice. To ensure relevance and effectiveness, we collaborate with cross-disciplinary experts to identify both unique professional needs and valuable points of intersection across healthcare roles.
Learn more about NSRH’S SRH Certificate
Sexual and Reproductive Health Certificate
NSRH has developed a comprehensive Sexual and Reproductive Health certificate program with specialized curriculum for six healthcare professions: RNs, LVNs, Paramedics/EMTs, Doulas, Community Health Workers, and Medical Assistants. Our eight-course program features a unique structure where each course begins with essential foundational knowledge for all healthcare providers, then branches into profession-specific modules tailored to participants’ distinct roles, responsibilities, and scopes of practice.
California Residents: Enroll at no cost, thanks to California’s historic investment in thereproductive healthcare workforce through the Reproductive Health Service Corps (RHSC).
NSRH Members: Access the full certificate for $135 — reflecting the two member-included courses (via the OI) plus 25% off the total cost.
Outside California / Non-Members: Discounted rates are available for healthcare professionals and students.
NSRH SRH Certificate
As part of our contribution to the Reproductive Health Service Corps initiative, NSRH offers a comprehensive, accredited Sexual and Reproductive Health Certificate program. This eight-course educational package provides 8.5 continuing education credits through the California Board of Registered Nursing and the Board of Vocational Nurses and Psychiatric Technicians.
The certificate program is specifically designed for six healthcare professions: Registered Nurses, Licensed Vocational Nurses, Paramedics/Emergency Medical Technicians, Doulas, Community Health Workers, and Medical Assistants. Each course begins with essential foundational knowledge, then branches into profession-specific modules tailored to participants’ distinct roles, responsibilities, and scopes of practice. Upon completion, participants receive a professional certificate demonstrating their specialized knowledge in sexual and reproductive healthcare, enhancing both their credentials and their ability to provide comprehensive care.
Key Points
Interprofessional Design: Created with input from an advisory committee representing all six target professions, ensuring relevance across diverse
healthcare roles.
- Practical Application: Each course concludes with profession-specific content that helps learners understand practical applications within their scope of practice.
- Comprehensive Curriculum: Covers essential topics from foundational concepts to specialized knowledge in contraception and abortion care
- Evidence-Based Approach: Content developed in partnership with subject matter experts from each profession.
- Patient-Centered Focus: Emphasizes improving patient experience and outcomes through trauma-informed, person-centered approaches.
Course Details
As part of our contribution to the Reproductive Health Service Corps initiative, NSRH offers a comprehensive, accredited Sexual and Reproductive Health Certificate program. This eight-course educational package provides 8.5 continuing education credits through the California Board of Registered Nursing and the Board of Vocational Nurses and Psychiatric Technicians.
The certificate program is specifically designed for six healthcare professions: Registered Nurses, Licensed Vocational Nurses, Paramedics/Emergency Medical Technicians, Doulas, Community Health Workers, and Medical Assistants. Each course begins with essential foundational knowledge, then branches into profession-specific modules tailored to participants’ distinct roles, responsibilities, and scopes of practice. Upon completion, participants receive a professional certificate demonstrating their specialized knowledge in sexual and reproductive healthcare, enhancing both their credentials and their ability to provide comprehensive care.
Course Features
Collaborative Development: Created with input from an advisory committee representing all six target professions, ensuring relevance across diverse healthcare roles.
Practice-Focused Learning: Each course concludes with profession-specific content that translates knowledge into practical applications within scope of Practice.
Holistic Curriculum: Covers essential topics from foundational concepts to specialized knowledge in contraception and abortion care.
Expert-Informed Content: Developed in partnership with subject matter experts from each profession to ensure accuracy and relevance.
Patient-Centered Approach: Emphasizes improving care experiences and outcomes through trauma-informed, person-centered methodologies.
Course Topics
- Foundations to SRH – Covers social determinants of health, health equity, reproductive justice, trauma-informed care, and person-centered approaches
- History of Healthcare – Examines the evolution of the US healthcare system and its impact on current practice
- Reproductive Justice in Healthcare – Explores intersectionality and reproductive justice frameworks
- Sexual and Reproductive Health for Healthcare Workers – Focuses on comprehensive health histories and integrating SRH care into practice
- Contraception: An Overview – Provides detailed information on contraceptive methods, access issues, and counseling approaches
- Pregnancy Options Counseling – Addresses implicit bias, patient-centered decision-making, and counseling skills
- Abortion & Public Health – Examines access barriers, safety considerations, and reproductive justice perspectives
- Abortion: Understanding the Medicine – Covers medical aspects of abortion care and healthcare worker knowledge