Continuing Education for the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES)

1. Continuing Education for the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) 1/19/07

2. Welcome WELCOME • NCHEC encourages training in all the Areas of Responsibility, as continued competence in all areas is essential to effective health education practices. CHES may earn CECH through completion of any of the following activities: • Attendance at Professional Meetings • Self-Study • Academic Preparation • Creative Endeavors • Professional Presentations • Professional Service • NCHEC believes that continuing education is essential and that all CHES need to understand the process for claiming CECH. Please click on the yellow buttons to find out more about the process of claiming CECH. RESPONSIBILITIES CATEGORIES SUBMITTING A CLAIM COMMON MISTAKES SPECIAL ISSUES CONTACT INFORMATION

3. Areas of Responsibility • There are Seven key Areas that CHES members are responsible for obtaining continuing education contact hours (CECH). These are: • 1. Assessing Individual and Community Needs for Health Education • 2. Plan Health Education Strategies, Interventions, and Programs • 3. Implement Health Education Strategies, Interventions and Programs • 4. Conduct Evaluation and Research Related to Health Education • 5. Administer Health Education Strategies, Interventions and Programs • 6. Serve as a Health Education Resource Person • 7. Communicate and Advocate for Health and Health Education • Within each responsibility are several competencies. CECH must be directly related to competencies that fall within the Seven Responsibilities. Click here for a complete list of competencies. WELCOME RESPONSIBILITIES CATEGORIES SUBMITTING A CLAIM COMMON MISTAKES SPECIAL ISSUES CONTACT INFORMATION

4. Categories Continuing Education Contact Hours (CECH) are divided into two categories: Category I and Category II. Each CHES must earn a total of 75 CECH every five years to be recertified. At least 45 will need to be Category I CECH. The remaining 30 CECH may come from Category I or Category II. Knowing the difference between these two is a very important first step. Category I: Refers to opportunities that relate to one or more of the Areas of Responsibility, and have been preapproved by NCHEC (offered by Designated Providers). When attending an event or conference, CHES members will be asked to complete a Category I program. This program will be reported directly to NCHEC - meaning CHES members will not need to submit any documentation to NCHEC. Category II: Refers to opportunities that relate to one or more of the Areas of Responsibility, but have not been preapproved by NCHEC (offered by nondesignated providers). To claim Category II CECH, CHES members will need to record program information and demonstrate how each activity relates to the Areas of Responsibility. All forms must be completed and submitted within 90 days after completion of the CECH. Click here for a copy of the Category II CECH claim form. WELCOME RESPONSIBILITIES CATEGORIES SUBMITTING A CLAIM COMMON MISTAKES SPECIAL ISSUES CONTACT INFORMATION

5. Submitting a Claim Please keep in mind the difference between Category I and Category II claims. Category I will be directly filed to NCHEC – where Category II will be recorded and filed by the CHES member. WELCOME RESPONSIBILITIES Category II Category I CATEGORIES SUBMITTING A CLAIM CECH Conference Providers Event COMMON MISTAKES NCHEC Office NCHEC Office CHES Member CHES Member SPECIAL ISSUES CONTACT INFORMATION Click here to see the 10 Easy Steps for Submitting Category II CECH.

6. Claim Form WELCOME Please follow the TEN easy steps for submitting the Category II CECH Claim Form: 1. Print your name clearly 2. Include your CHES number 3. List the program title 4. List the program date 5. Select the proper category 6. Check the item of proof 7. Check the area of responsibility 8. Describe how the activity relates 9. Sign and date the form 10. Mail the form to NCHEC RESPONSIBILITIES CATEGORIES SUBMITTING A CLAIM COMMON MISTAKES SPECIAL ISSUES CONTACT INFORMATION Click here for a copy of the Category II CECH claim form.

7. Common Mistakes Category II Continuing Education Contact Hours (CECH) require you to submit a form. Submission, however, is only the first step. In order for you to receive credit for the hours, the form must be processed and in order for the form to be processed it must be filled the form out properly. Please click on the links to the right to view the most common mistakes made when completing the Category II form. Once again, receiving credit for Category II CECH is a two step process. You must submit the form and it must be processed. Forms that are not filled out correctly cannot be processed. WELCOME COMMON MISTAKES No Documentation No Dates Number of CECH Hours Multiple Events Wrong Claim Form RESPONSIBILITIES CATEGORIES SUBMITTING A CLAIM COMMON MISTAKES SPECIAL ISSUES CONTACT INFORMATION

8. Special Issues • Living Outside of the Country • All CHES who live outside the continental United States may earn all 75 CECH through Category II activities. • Extension Status for CHES • CHES who have paid their renewal fee for the current certification year but who have requested a one-year extension of their recertification cycle. • Extension’ status may be granted for special circumstances including, but not limited to: personal or family illness, graduate study, foreign residence. • CHES may request ‘Extension’ status for a maximum of two years during any five-year certification cycle. A letter of explanation for the request must be submitted each year. At the end of the current renewal year, the CHES will automatically return to ‘active’ status, as long as current renewal fees are paid. • While on ‘extension’ status a CHES: • may continue to earn CECH • is not permitted to hold any elective NCHEC office • is not allowed to serve on any planning committee as a CHES representative WELCOME RESPONSIBILITIES CATEGORIES SUBMITTING A CLAIM COMMON MISTAKES SPECIAL ISSUES CONTACT INFORMATION

9. Contact Information For more information, please contact: Sandy Schaffer Continuing Education Coordinator National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. 1541 Alta Drive, Suite 303 Whitehall, PA 18052-5642 Phone: 1-888-624-3248, x14 Fax: 1-800-813-0727 sschaffer@nchec.org www.nchec.org WELCOME RESPONSIBILITIES CATEGORIES SUBMITTING A CLAIM COMMON MISTAKES SPECIAL ISSUES CONTACT INFORMATION

10. No Documentation CECH cannot be processed unless you provide documentation of your attendance at the program or event. Documentation must be provided. WELCOME RESPONSIBILITIES CATEGORIES SUBMITTING A CLAIM COMMON MISTAKES SPECIAL ISSUES CONTACT INFORMATION Click button to return to the: Common Mistakes Slide

11. No Dates WELCOME RESPONSIBILITIES You must indicate the date of the event or program you are claiming. CATEGORIES SUBMITTING A CLAIM COMMON MISTAKES SPECIAL ISSUES CONTACT INFORMATION Click button to return to the: Common Mistakes Slide

12. Number of CECH Hours WELCOME RESPONSIBILITIES Using the table, calculate the number of CECH hours you are claiming and fill in the “CECH claimed” field. CATEGORIES SUBMITTING A CLAIM COMMON MISTAKES SPECIAL ISSUES CONTACT INFORMATION Click button to return to the: Common Mistakes Slide

13. Multiple Events A conference is one event. What you attend at the conference are sessions and can be claimed on one form. Separate conferences and speaking events need independent forms filed – one for each event. WELCOME RESPONSIBILITIES CATEGORIES SUBMITTING A CLAIM COMMON MISTAKES SPECIAL ISSUES CONTACT INFORMATION Click button to return to the: Common Mistakes Slide

14. Wrong Claim Form WELCOME RESPONSIBILITIES Please make sure the form you use is for activities completed on or after 10/01/2004. CATEGORIES SUBMITTING A CLAIM COMMON MISTAKES SPECIAL ISSUES CONTACT INFORMATION Click button to return to the: Common Mistakes Slide