PeaceHealth Peace Island Medical Center Honors Health Coach Graduates – Gifts Community Scholarship

L-R: Rachel Lucy, PeaceHealth director community health NW; Jackie Pitman, caregiver and current health coach program participant; Meghan McCarthy, PeaceHealth system director community health; Jennifer Armstrong, member Peace Island Community Health Board and SJI Family Resource Center; and, Delphina Liles, community scholarship recipient, SJI Family Resource Center – Contributed photo

FRIDAY HARBOR, Wash., Jan. 21, 2020– PeaceHealth Peace Island Medical Center recently recognized the first group of caregivers earning health coach certification as a result of its Integrated Nutrition Pathways Scholarship program.

The program, which awards scholarships to PeaceHealth caregivers to become a certified health coach from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN), 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.

Included in the celebration at PeaceHealth Peace Island Medical Center were current Health Coach program participant and caregiver Jackie Pitman. At the event, PeaceHealth also gifted one health coach scholarship to local community partner The San Juan Island Family Resource Center. This organization offered a full scholarship to employee Delphina Liles, coordinator for Youth Mentoring and Enrichment programs.

“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.

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.

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