Overview

Governance

SOPHE is governed by a House of Delegates, comprised of one delegate from each of its chapters, and a Board of Trustees, including all officers, two trustees elected at large, and four trustees elected from the House of Delegates. The House and Board hold two business meetings per year and monthly conference calls. Chapters must meet National SOPHE requirements, although they are autonomous in governing and financial structure.

Advocacy

SOPHE has an active Advocacy Committee, with chapter representation, and interested SOPHE members. Email communication facilitates rapid communication and action on national legislative issues of interest to SOPHE members. SOPHE also adopts resolutions that provide an organizational foundation for action on selected issues. Relocation of the national office to Washington, DC in January 1996 has increased SOPHE participation and visibility.

Professional Development

SOPHE supports professional development by:

  1. Offering two continuing education conferences annually, each attracting 400-500 health professionals. The SOPHE Annual Meeting is held immediately prior to the American Public Health Association (APHA) annual meeting and the SOPHE Mid-Year Scientific Conference occurs in May or June.

  2. Providing distance learning opportunities such as video teleconferences and self-study journal articles to enhance continuing education opportunities for health professionals at the local level.

Communities of Practice


Children, Adolescents and School Health Education The purpose of the Children, Adolescents and School Health CoP is to improve collaboration, communication, and camaraderie among members who are involved in school health education administration, programming, services, and research.  Comprehensive school health programs include every aspect of school health from classroom education to environment to nutrition to teacher wellness.  By enhancing communications and knowledge concerning school health, this SOPHE CoP will build a foundation of support for comprehensive school health programs, which can assist children in developing a lifetime of health-promoting habits and skills.

Health Communications/Social Marketing
Health communications and health literacy have become increasingly important to successful health promotion efforts. Social Marketing and its applications to informing, influencing, and motivating audiences has become increasingly important to successful health promotion. Members of the Health Communications/Social Marketing CoP include practitioners and researchers whose primary function is health communications and social marketing as well as those who are interested in learning more about this area of practice by understanding and applying the latest research and practice in communications.  

International and Cross-Cultural Health  
The purpose of the International and Cross-Cultural Health CoP is to foster the exchange of information and resources related to international health education and to improving understanding of various peoples and their cultures for effective health education.  The CoP has a link to international organizations as the International Union for Health Promotion and Education, World Health Organization, Pan American Health Organization, United Nations, as well as domestic agencies such as the DHHS Office of Minority Health.  In addition to discussions and sessions at the Midyear and Annual Meetings, the CoP encourages exchange and updates via e-mail and electronic communications.

Healthy Aging
The Healthy Aging CoP was formed to encourage networking and exchange of information among health educators working in programs, services, and all practice settings who are responsible for the health promotion/health education of older Americans or aging populations This CoP is interested in issues related to promoting healthy aging throughout the lifespan, legislation, and other areas.

Environmental Health Promotion
The Environmental Health Promotion CoP was formed in 2007 to improve communication and collaboration among SOPHE members who are involved in environmental health education, programming, services, and research. Members of the EHP Community of Practice receive SOPHE’s periodic Environmental Health Promotion News U Can Use e-newsletter, as well as other updates and information regarding environmental health related alerts, news, events, and opportunities.

Emergency Preparedness
The purpose of the Emergency Preparedness CoP is to promote information exchange and networking among SOPHE members involved or specifically interested in public health emergency preparedness, risk communication, and response from the perspective of health education or the behavioral sciences. Members of the Emergency Preparedness CoP receive SOPHE’s periodic Emergency Preparedness News U Can Use e-newsletter, as well as periodic public health emergency alerts.

Healthy Disparities/Health Equities
The Health Disparities/Health Equities CoP was established to encourage networking and exchange of information among health educators working in programs, services, and all practice settings with a particular interest in health equity and the elimination of health disparities. This CoP is exploring ways to increase cultural competency of public health education and health care professionals, new resources and issues surrounding minority health, and eliminating barriers to health education and health care in underserved populations.

Anthropology and Public Health
The Anthropology and Public Health CoP was formed as a way to expand the dialogue about anthropological or qualitative methods in solving public health problems.  These methods offer the context-specific approach, providing a voice to participants and highlighting the similarities/differences of situations and problems that are important in decision making. Anthropological or qualitative methods and their accompanying paradigm of thought, illuminate ways of solving problems that provide trustworthy ways of knowing. A goal of these methods is collaborative empowerment-based research, which emphasizes the culture and expertise of the community or individuals involved.

Medical Care/Patient Education
The purpose of the Medical Care Health Education/Patient Education CoP is to promote information exchange and networking among SOPHE members involved in health education of patients and providers in medical care settings.  Among topics of interest include health literacy, managed care, behavioral management theories and strategies, patient empowerment, patient education administration, and many other areas.

Worksite Health Education
The Worksite Health Education CoP was formed to encourage networking and exchange of information among health educators working in business, industry and other settings who are responsible for the health promotion/health education of employees.  This CoP is interested in issues related to cost-effectiveness, managed care, corporate communications, and other areas.

Students/New Professionals  
The Student and New Professional CoP provides health education students and recent graduates the opportunity to network with each other, exchange ideas, provide support in job and continuing education searches, and facilitate involvement with SOPHE leadership and program planning. 

University Faculty  
The purpose of the University Faculty CoP is to provide an opportunity for college and university faculty members to network and exchange ideas.  Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, professional preparation, career development, technology, program approval and accreditation, administration, technology, issues in higher education, and overall concerns of the profession.