The national health educator Competencies Update Project (CUP) has resulted in the development of a three-tiered hierarchical model reflecting the generic role of the health educator.

• Entry: Competencies/Sub-competencies performed by health educators with a bachelor's or master's degree and less than five years of experience
• Advanced 1: Competencies/Sub-competencies performed by health educators with a bachelor's or master's degree and five years or more of experience
• Advanced 2: Competencies/Sub-competencies performed by health educators with a doctoral degree and five or more years of experience

The significance of the CUP research relates to three essential areas of professional focus:
Professional Preparation:

• Develop expanded frameworks for curriculum development at the entry and advanced levels of practice for health educators
• Serve as a foundation for a clearer delineation of a career ladder for students
• Generate refined statements of student performance expectations at each level of practice for health educators

Credentialing:

• Explore the potential for additional certification processes for different levels of practice
• Expand the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) exam item bank based on the new Competencies
• Enhance the validity of various accreditation processes

Professional Development:

• Identify new Competencies needed by health educators in the current/future job market
• Suggest additional Competencies health educators should acquire through continuing education and professional development
• Differentiate entry and advanced levels of practice within health education

Recommendations
The boards of Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE), American Association for Health Education (AAHE) and NCHEC, as the copyright holders for the profession, accepted the final report of the Competencies Update Project (1998-2004). Based on the CUP findings, the copyright holders' respective boards made the following four recommendations to the profession.

1. Baccalaureate programs in health education should prepare their health education graduates to perform all seven of the health education Responsibilities and the 29 Competencies and 82 Sub-competencies specifically identified as entry-level, in the new hierarchical model.
2. NCHEC should use all seven of the health education Responsibilities, and the nine competencies and 82 sub-competencies specifically identified as entry-level in the new hierarchical model, as the basis for revisions to its entry-level CHES examination.
3. Graduate programs in health education should prepare their health education graduates to perform all seven of the health education Responsibilities, and the 48 advanced-1 and 33 advanced-2 Sub-competencies as appropriate to the degree level. Advanced-1 and advanced-2 graduates should also demonstrate mastery of the 29 Competencies and 82 entry-level Sub-competencies, in the new hierarchical model.
4. When organizations interpret the CUP findings for use within professional preparation, credentialing and professional development, a clear written rationale needs to accompany the interpretations being made.

For Additional Information, Contact:
Gary D. Gilmore, MPH, PhD, CHES Chair Phone: (608) 785-8163 e-mail: gilmore.gary@uwlax.edu
Larry K. Olsen, DrPH, CHES e-mail: lolsen@nmsu.edu
Alyson Taub, EdD, CHES e-mail: alyson.taub@nyu.edu