National Commission for Health Education Credentialing

The National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. (NCHEC, /ˈɛntʃɛk/) is a professional health education credentialing body that works to define, verify, certify and promote the role of health educators as a national standard primarily operating in the United States of America. The commission's office is located in Whitehall, PA, just North of Allentown, Pennsylvania and about 50 miles North of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

NCHEC is the national accrediting organization for health educators, promoting the certified health education specialist (CHES) credential and administers the affirmation of approved continuing education. The provision and administration of the CHES credential represents the major strategy of NCHEC to fulfill its mission to "improve the practice of health education and to serve the public and profession of health education by certifying health education specialists, promoting professional development, and strengthening professional preparation and practice."

Although independent, NCHEC often works with national organizations to promote the CHES credential. NCHEC routinely interacts with the American Public Health Association (APHA), the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE), the American Association for Health Education (AAHE), the Coalition of National Health Education Organizations (CNHEO), Universities and Colleges, various US Government agencies, and especially health educators in a wide variety of occupational and professional endeavors.

Credentialing health educators is an attestation of not only the professional's knowledge, but also their ability to act prudently and skillfully in a number of health education roles, including public health practice, research, advocacy, promotion, education. It also helps to promote further professional development of the health educator with continuing education and a sense of pride, and offers interaction with other health educators in a number of societies, agencies, and other professional settings. Credentialing health educators has also helped employers to recognize health educators who meet a baseline standard of professional competency.

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