WHITEHALL, Penn. – Nicole Ditata, a program coordinator for Healthy Community Coalition based in Farmington, is among the first individuals to earn certification as a master certified health education specialist (MCHES).
The newly created advanced-level certification that is awarded by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc., (NCHEC) signifies that Ditata has met the national standards for individual health education practitioners. The MCHES certification attests to the individual’s knowledge and understanding of the Health Education Areas of Responsibility at an advanced-level and assists employers in identifying qualified health education practitioners.
“NCHEC developed the advanced-level certification in response to recommendations from the profession that were supported by research indicating the presence of distinct levels of practice in the health education work setting,” said William Chen, chair of NCHEC’s Board of Commissioners. “Congratulations to this very first class of MCHES.”
The MCHES credential indicates that an individual has met three components: academic and experience requirements, passing of a certification assessment, and compliance with ongoing continuing education requirements. The certification is voluntary, meaning that one chooses to earn this credential, which is national in scope. The MCHES certification is based on generic responsibilities, competencies and sub-competencies that have been verified as necessary for advanced-level practice in health education by a national job analysis process, the most recent being the 2010 National Health Educator Job Analysis Project.
This achievement is considered a milestone in an individual’s professional development and a testament to the individual’s commitment to continuous improvement in the health education profession.
We are all for fortunate to have you in this position. Thanks for all you do. We’re very proud.
I had the pleasure of working with Nicole for nearly 8 years. She is smart and diligent, and most of all, she is a deeply caring person. I am so excited to see her achieve this milestone! Another reason to be proud of Farmington and Franklin County, a special place that nurtures this kind of special talent.
Congratulations Nicole! We are cousins and fellow health educators…your grandfather would have been very proud of you. I know I am.