All travel involves a certain level of risk.  The Community Service Center works to reduce risk in multiple ways, while informing participants of important measures to take to ensure their own safety and the safety of the whole group.

The Community Service Center advises the student trip leaders in creating a safe, educational and service-oriented itinerary and curriculum for the trip. Each trip partners with organizations on the ground to ensure we are aware of the most up-to-date travel information and that necessary precautions are taken for each destination.

SAFETY MEASURES TAKEN BY THE ALTERNATIVE BREAK PROGRAM:

• The Alternative Break coordinator monitors daily country reports from around the globe.
• US State Department Travel Warnings and Consular Information Sheets.
• Students are encouraged to read the US State Department Students Abroad safety website.
• For international trips, students are registered with the US Embassy in destination country.
• All trips have staff/faculty advisors who accompany the group at all time in case of an emergency.
• Trips follow AU policies to deal with personal, national or international emergencies.
• All trip leaders are provided with an international GSM cellphone in order to be in contact with AU staff on-call 24 hours a day.
• All students, as part of the program fee, are enrolled in the AU Travel Medical Insurance and Emergency Evacuation Assistance policy. 
• Parents can contact American University Public Safety in the case of emergency:
  dps@american.edu
  202.885.3636
• Participants will be provided detailed emergency contact information in their trip itinerary prior to departure.

HEALTH:

• Students are advised to research the vaccinations and health precautions they should take while traveling internationally. The Center for Disease Control website will provide you with travel health guidelines.
• Make an appointment at an international travel clinic. Foxhall Internists is on New Mexico Ave. NW, near American University.