In today’s proactive healthcare system, the role of the community wellness director has become increasingly important. Addressing the results of poor health care and using remedial methods to correct health issues is not cost effective. Additionally, the global focus of most countries along with interconnectedness makes the world vulnerable to healthcare emergencies like pandemics that may be avoided through healthcare education and intervention.
Community Wellness Director Definition
This is a person who coordinates activities to promote the wellness of a particular population. The focus may be geographic, ethnic, socio-economic or based upon other criteria. Another name for this position is “health educator.”
What They Do
These professionals work in places like reservations with Native Americans to assess the types of wellness problems they may have and to educate the population about how they can change negative outcomes. Health educators may address obesity, smoking, alcohol consumption and lack of exercise among other issues. An example in film would be the role of Gladys Aylward whose story was made into the movie “Inn of the Sixth Happiness.” Aylward traveled in pre- WWI China to educate mothers about the health implications of binding the feet of their infant daughters. Some health educators work in corporate environments promoting company wellness. These people may design programs, including designating a place in the company for exercise or for health education workshops. They may help employees track their wellness progress and ensure they have access to healthcare insurance and healthcare plans.
Corporate wellness professionals also may be responsible to make certain the company follows healthcare codes and safety standards. Healthcare educators sometimes work in hospitals with patients to teach them about after-discharge care and about resources available to them. The educators could be involved with low-income pregnant women to educate them about prenatal health. The Peace Corps currently recruits community healthcare directors to work in their created village Kalu Yala teaching students about sustainability in health, according to YellowHawk. Other wellness directors might use their business degrees to manage the financial aspect of a proactive wellness program. Many of the people in this area of wellness work with non-profits to fund programs in community centers and other venues. This profession is diverse and the demand for people trained to do the job is increasing.
Becoming a Community Wellness Director
This is a profession that generally requires a bachelor’s degree, a master’s program in healthcare and certification. People who want to enter this field can tailor their degrees to the area of wellness they intend to enter. Someone with an MBA in Healthcare, for instance, could become certified as a health education specialist, equipping him to work in corporate environments. Someone with a degree in public health might seek certification so that he could work in government advocacy programs or in developing healthcare legislation for underserved populations. Certification is through the National Commission for Healthcare Education Credentialing. It involves passing the exam offered by the NCHEC and completing ongoing educational requirements.
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BLS Information
The Bureau of Labor Statistics doesn’t separate wellness directors from other community health workers and educators. The average wage for these people is $45,360. Directors who work for governmental agencies will probably earn less, unless they work in upper-level positions. Corporate health educators may earn higher salaries. The projected growth rate for this field is 16 percent. That is significantly higher than average.
Health education is not limited to low-income or third-world populations. The epidemic of obesity in America and other developed nations requires positive intervention to prevent diseases like diabetes and heart disease. Community wellness directors can lead the battle against preventable diseases in every population.