Society for Public Health Education SOPHE

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Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE)
Providing Leadership to the Profession of
Health Education and Health Promotion
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The Purpose of Health Education

• To positively influence the health behavior of
  individuals as well as the living and working
  conditions that influence their health.

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Why is Health Education Important?

• Improves Quality of life for all people
• Reduces Premature deaths
• Focuses On prevention
• Saves Society money that would be spent on
  medical treatment or rehabilitation

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A Health Educator is

• A professionally prepared individual who serves
  in a variety of roles and is specifically trained
  to use appropriate educational strategies and
  methods to facilitate the development of
  policies, interventions, ,and systems conducive
  to the health of individuals, groups, and
  communities.
• Joint Committee on Health Education Promotion
  Terminology, 2000

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SOPHE Mission

• To provide leadership to the profession of
  health education and to contribute to the health
  of all people through advances in heath education
  theory and research, excellence in practice, and
  the promotion of public policies conducive to
  health.
• 
  

• Adopted 1998, reaffirmed 2002

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SOPHE History

• Founded in 1950
• Only professional organization devoted
  exclusively to public health education and health
  promotion
• Governed by a Board of Trustees and House of
  Delegates

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Membership Snapshot

• 24 SOPHE Chapters
• 2200 National Members
• 2500 Local Members
• 60 MPH or advanced degrees
• Employment Settings
• State/local health departments
• Medical care
• Schools
• Worksites
• Community agencies

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SOPHE Chapters
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Membership Benefits

• 2 Journals (10 issues) online and hard copies
• 6 Newsletters/yr E-newsletter weekly
• 9 Networking Listservs
• Professional Development Practice Standards
• National Advocacy Legislative Alliances

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SOPHE Journals

• Health Education Behavior

• 6 issues/year
• Explores health related behavioral social
  change
• Targeted towards researchers interested in
  disease prevention

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SOPHE Journals

• Health Promotion Practice

• 4 issues/year
• Examines practice related issues
• Explores the application of health education
  interventions in various settings

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SOPHE Publications

• News Views Newsletter
• 6 issues/year
• Electronic newsletter
• Announcements, jobs, funding opportunities, new
  resources

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Professional Development

• Largest provider of Certified Health Education
  Specialist (CHES) credits
• Annual Continuing Education Conferences
• Distance Learning Opportunities
• audio/video teleconferences
• Self-study journal articles

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Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES)

• A certification for professionals in the health
  education and promotion field
• Meet the standards of competence established by
  National Commission for Health Education
  Credentialing (NCHEC)
• Successfully pass CHES exam
• Require 75 hours of Continuing Education over
  five years

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CHES Benefits

• Employers and consumers can be assured
• CHES has met national standards as a health
  education professional.
• CHES are expanding their skills and knowledge
  through continuing education

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Advocacy

• Advocacy Alerts
• SOPHE Resolutions
• Partnerships
• Over 26 partnerships for initiatives and advocacy
  issues

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Advocacy

• Health Education Advocacy Summit
• Held annually
• Provides advocacy training by legislative experts
• Allows for scheduled visits to legislators and
  Capitol Hill

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Membership Benefits

• Discounts on SOPHE Annual Midyear Meetings
• Discounts on publications, services
• Scholarships and Awards
• Job Bank
• Mentoring Program

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SOPHE Scholarships Awards

• Distinguished Fellow Award
• Honorary Fellow Award
• Program Excellence Award
• Open Society Award (social justice)
• Health Education Mentor Award
• Chapter Innovation Award

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Student Scholarships and Awards

• Graduate Student Research Paper Award
• Vivian Drenckhahn Student Scholarship Award
• SOPHE/CDC Student Fellowship in Unintentional
  Injury
• SOPHE/ATSDR Student Fellowship in Environmental
  Health/Social Justice

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Special Interest Groups

• Children, Adolescent School Health
• International/ Cross Cultural Health
• Community Health Education

• Medical Care/ Patient Education
• Social Marketing Health Communication
• Worksite Health
• Anthropology Public Health

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Caucuses

• University Faculty
• Student New Professional

Student and New Professional Caucus (SNP)
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SNP Purpose

• Targeted towards health education students and
  recent graduates
• Provides opportunities to network and exchange
  ideas
• Provides support in job and continuing education
  searches
• Facilitate involvement with SOPHE leadership and
  program planning.