PeaceHealth Oregon honors caregivers receiving health coach certification, gifts scholarships to the community

Springfield, OR– PeaceHealth Oregon network recently recognized its 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, 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.

PeaceHealth has also gifted nine health coach scholarships to these local community partners:

• Eugene School District 4J
• St. Vincent de Paul of Lane County
• Positive Community Kitchen
• Lane County Public Health
• Catholic Community Services
• Cottage Grove Family Resource Center
• Cottage Grove Health Hub
• Siuslaw Vision/Florence Food Share
• Western Lane Ambulance District

These organizations will now be able to offer a full scholarship to one of their employees or a member of the community on behalf of PeaceHealth.

“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.”

“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.”

– Meghan McCarthy

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.

New graduate Delisa Salazar, lead patient access representative for Home Care Services at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart, University District, said she’s using her newfound knowledge to help select healthier snacks for the Eugene School District’s NATIVES program, where she is a volunteer.

“It’s been a life changer,” she said. “I lost 35 pounds—it really changed the way I eat and shop. I didn’t expect to learn so much, or change so much.”

A total of 77 graduates across PeaceHealth were honored, and more than 150 caregivers have received scholarships since the program launched last January. Our 22 Oregon graduates are:

• Catrina Adams
• Sueann Bankus
• Treena Bell
• Susan Blane
• Elizabeth Cuno
• Mike Dilger
• Sara Ensslin, RN
• Rita Farish
• Regina (Gina) Farley
• Kim Goskie
• Francine Hans
• Krystina Holliday, RN
• Sara Mann
• Mercedes Montonini
• Beverly Park
• Terri Parsons
• Amy Peterson, RN
• Delisa Salazar
• Lynn Stoddard
• Michelle Tompkins
• Christine Ulloa
• Rebecca Wright

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.