July 13, 2022
Mesa College Offers California’s First Board-Approved College-Based Health and Wellness
Coaching Certificate
By Office of Communications
San Diego, CA – In Fall of 2022, San Diego Mesa College will offer California's first ever community college-based
Health and Wellness Coaching Certificate Program with approval by the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC). The National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coaching exam is the gold
standard certification in health and wellness coaching and is offered by the Board
of Medical Examiners.
“We are very excited to offer the first Board-approved community college based program
in California,” stated Dr. Isabel O’Connor, Vice President of Instruction at Mesa
College. “Students who complete this certificate will be able to develop motivational
skills and understand behavioral theories that will help their clients manage stress,
nutrition, and other activities.”
The Health and Wellness Coaching Certificate Program at Mesa prepares students to help others improve their health through interventions
related to clients’ stress, nutrition, physical activity, and other health behaviors.
As a program offered at a local community college, this program will reduce access and equity gaps related to health and wellness coaching credentialing programs. Many current
programs are offered by four-year or private institutions, making them unaffordable for
many who wish to enter the field. At $46 a unit, this 19-unit program will save California community college students thousands of dollars on quality health and wellness coaching-related training. This
program is open and beneficial to both new students, and students looking to return
to college and further their education.
The NBHWC is currently partnering with the University of California San Diego (UCSD)
and the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. (NCHEC) on a
project to collect data to support application to the American Medical Association
(AMA) for approval of health and wellness coaching services for Category I CPT Codes.
This would allow health and wellness coaching to become an insurance-reimbursable
expense, potentially increasing the need for educated and certified health and wellness
coaches in the medical sector. For more on this partnership, see here.
To learn more about the program, visit the Health and Wellness Coaching Certificate Program web page or contact Kelsey Graham at kgraham@sdccd.edu.
About San Diego Mesa College
San Diego Mesa College is a fully accredited, comprehensive college committed to equity
and excellence. We honor our diverse community of students, faculty, professional
staff, and administrators who collaborate to foster scholarship, leadership, access,
and innovation in an inclusive learning environment. By promoting student learning
and achievement that leads to degrees and certificates, transfer, workforce training,
and lifelong learning, we empower our students to reach their educational goals and
shape their future. Among the largest community colleges in California, Mesa serves
25,000 students per year, 25% of whom are full-time. Mesa offers nearly 200 associate
degree and certificate programs and is one of 15 California community colleges offering
a four-year baccalaureate degree. Mesa ranks as San Diego’s top transfer institution,
is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), an Asian American and Native American
Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI), and a Military Friendly School, serving
nearly 2,500 veterans and their families. www.sdmesa.edu.
Find San Diego Mesa College on Social Media:
Facebook.com: sandiegomesacollege
Twitter.com: sdmesacollege
Instagram.com: sdmesacollege
Youtube: youtube.com: sdmesacollege
Snapchat: sdmesacollege
LinkedIn: San Diego Mesa College
Find Mesa College President Dr. Ashanti T. Hands on Social Media
Facebook: www.facebook.com/PrezHands
Twitter: www.twitter.com/prezhands
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ashanti-hands-ed-d-209a75a/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/prezhands
Tags: Academic Programs, Health and Wellness Coaching, Exercise Science