NCHEC Achieves Distinguished Re-Accreditation from NCCA

WHITEHALL, Pa. - May 2, 2018 - PRLog -- The National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. (NCHEC) has earned re-accreditation from the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).  An audit of the non-profit organization's structure and standards process was conducted by the NCCA in early 2018, and as a result, re-accreditation for a five-year period was granted.

"NCHEC leadership has made the commitment to align with NCCA standards a priority in the development and implementation of the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES®) and the Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES®) certifications," said Linda Lysoby, MPH, MCHES®, and Executive Director of NCHEC. "We consider accreditation a very prestigious recognition, as it demonstrates our firm and ongoing dedication to meet the highest credentialing standards of practice for the health education/promotion profession."

NCCA has accredited the CHES® certification program since 2008 and the MCHES® certification program since 2013. The NCCA was developed, in order to "ensure the health, welfare, and safety of the public through the accreditation of a variety of certification programs/organizations that assess professional competence". The NCCA standards require demonstration of a valid and reliable process for development, implementation, maintenance and governance of certification programs.

In addition to national reaccreditation, NCHEC was recently re-accredited as a Personnel Certification Body by the International Accreditation Service (IAS) for the ISO/IEC 17024 Conformity Assessment - General Requirements for Bodies Operating Certification of Persons. International accreditation provides a global benchmark for personnel certification programs to ensure consistent, comparable and reliable operations worldwide.

"Reaccreditation affirms that our organization continues to embrace the principles of continuous improvement in credentialing," said Dr. Kerry Redican, MPH, PhD, CHES®, Chair of the NCHEC Board of Commissioners.  "NCCA and IAS accreditation signal the quality and value of becoming CHES® or MCHES®-certified. It shows we are the gold standard in health education credentialing."

Established in 1988, NCHEC is the only accredited U.S. certifying agency for the health education/promotion industry. NCHEC is a highly recognized and well respected credentialing organization administering two professional credentialing programs including the CHES®, designed for entry-level health education specialists, and the MCHES®, targeted to advanced-level practitioners. For more information about NCHEC's certification programs, visit http://www.nchec.org/overview.

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The Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE) created the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) in 1987. The NCCA Standards were developed to help ensure the health, welfare, and safety of the public. They highlight the essential elements of a high-quality program.

A recognized accreditation body since 1975, the International Accreditation Service (IAS) is a nonprofit, public benefit corporation. IAS is one of the leading accreditation bodies in the United States and a signatory to several international mutual recognition arrangements (MRAs). In addition to NCHEC, IAS accredits more than 800 organizations.