141st APHA Annual Meeting

APHA Home » APHA Meetings » Schedule and Online Program »

Online Program

In This section

293981
Preparation and eligibility for the certified health education specialist (CHES) and master certified health education specialist (MCHES) examinations

Monday, November 4, 2013 : 12:30 PM - 12:55 PM

Stephen Gambescia, PhD, MEd, MBA, MHum, MCHES , Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA
Linda Lysoby, MS, MCHES, CAE , National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc (NCHEC), Whitehall, PA
The presentation aims to inform the audience about the eligibility and the professional preparation of the nationally recognized Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) credential, in existence since 1989 and held by over 9,500 current active individuals. The accredited national certification is one quality assurance measure of professional competence of the health education workforce. In addition, the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc (NCHEC) implemented a Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES) credential in 2011. Specifics on eligibility and preparation for the advanced-level examination will be addressed. Both certifications are based upon the results of the Health Educator Job Analysis (HEJA) Project which identified multiple levels of practice, entry and advanced-level, for health education specialists. Other items that will be discussed are the registration process and numbers. Additionally, NCHEC school reports available for use by professional preparation programs will be discussed and examples of aligning university course curriculum with the HEJA outcomes.

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Ethics, professional and legal requirements
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related education
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines

Learning Objectives:
explain the eligibility criteria for the CHES and MCHES examinations, discuss registration process and numbers for the both the CHES and MCHES examinations, and identify school reports available by NCHEC for use professional preparation programs.

Keywords: Certification, Professional Preparation

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the Chair of the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing. This is a non paid volunteer position. The chair is elected by all Commissioners; Commissioners are elected by certified health educators. I have been following the health education specialist credentialing movement since the mid 1980s.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3217.0: Development Process and Maintenance of the Nationally Accredited Health Education Certification
800 I Street, NW Washington, DC 20001-3710 (Ph) 202-777-APHA (Fax) 202-777-2534