The program is the first of its kind to be offered by a health system in the United States.
VANCOUVER — PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center recently recognized its first group of caregivers earning health coach certification through its Integrated Nutrition Pathways Scholarship program.
The program, which awards PeaceHealth caregivers scholarships from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition to become certified health coaches, is the first of its kind to be offered by a health system in the United States.
Through IIN’s advanced online learning platform, caregivers spent six months to a year completing a comprehensive program focused on nutrition and holistic health. As part of the effort to increase community health, PeaceHealth will also gift seven additional scholarships to community partners working in four key focus areas:
1) Nourishment: Enhancing family and child wellbeing to address food insecurities
2) Home: Improving access to supportive housing
3) Caring: Increasing knowledge, access and engagement with community caregivers and community health workers
4) Hope: Expanding education and access to treatment and prevention of dependency
“We are extremely excited to offer this important health benefit to our dedicated caregivers — and now members of our community,” said Meghan McCarthy, PeaceHealth’s system director of community health. “I truly believe this program is positively changing the fabric of our communities. It’s just one more example of how PeaceHealth is innovating and partnering to improve the health of our communities beyond our hospital and clinic walls.”
PeaceHealth’s Nutrition Pathways Scholarship program is available to any of its more than 16,000 caregivers. PeaceHealth simply asks participants to “pay it forward” by sharing their new knowledge and expertise with friends, family and colleagues who may benefit. A total of 77 graduates across PeaceHealth were honored, and more than 150 caregivers have received scholarships since the program launched last January. Local graduates include:
- Kristin Andrews
- Rachelle Cothren
- Brianna Harper (Luckart)
- Tanya Johnson
- Kara Makin-Bond
- Deanna Messner
- Lisa Nienstaedt
- John Riser
- Igor Shapoval
- Staci Sturges
- Brooke Tanner
- Stephanie Thomas
The Institute for Integrative Nutrition was founded in 1992 and is the largest nutrition school in the world. Visit the IIN’s website for more information about the health coach certification program.
About PeaceHealth
PeaceHealth, based in Vancouver, is a not-for-profit Catholic health system offering care to communities in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. PeaceHealth has approximately 16,000 caregivers, a group practice with more than 1,200 providers and 10 medical centers serving both urban and rural communities throughout the Northwest. In 1890, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace founded what has become PeaceHealth. The Sisters shared expertise and transferred wisdom from one medical center to another, always finding the best way to serve the unmet need for healthcare in their communities. Today, PeaceHealth is the legacy of the founding Sisters and continues with a spirit of respect, stewardship, collaboration and social justice in fulfilling its Mission. For more information, go online at peacehealth.org.
