The HPBS MPH core course successfully trains students to become self-directed learners about HPBS topics. Faculty teaching the course can be assured that regardless of students’ demographic characteristics, discipline, or academic preparation, students will complete the course with similar self-efficacy to meet learning competencies. As part of their course evaluation, HPBS faculty in schools of public health might want to add an assessment of self-directed learning.

In addition to training MPH students to meet core CEPH competencies, schools of public health should be training their students to become self-directed learners who are motivated to increase their knowledge and skills after graduation. This analysis evaluated how much students enrolled in UTHealth Houston’s MPH core Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences (HPBS) course rated themselves on measures of self-directed learning.

A total of 228 students provided post-course data. Students agreed that how the HPBS course was taught encouraged self-directed learning. Similar increases were found regardless of age, gender, race/ethnicity, discipline, campus location (UTHealth Houston has campuses in six Texas cities), semester enrolled, or the number of previously taken social science or health promotion courses.

At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

Competencies that will be covered include: 

7.2 Prepare others to provide health education and promotion.

7.2.6 Evaluate training as appropriate throughout the process.

Sponsored by the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE), a designated provider of continuing education contact hours (CECH) in health education by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. This program is designated for Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES®) and/or Master Certified Health Education Specialists (MCHES®) to receive up to 1.0 total Category I contact education contact hours.

SOPHE is a provider of Certified in Public Health (CPH) Renewal Credits. A total of 1.0 CPH Renewal credits are provided on behalf of the National Board of Public Health Examiners.

Public health practitioners are inundated with information and misinformation regularly. Locating evidence-based public health information, analyzing data and translating it into useful digestible dissemination to various audiences is a critical part of the public health role. However, with the dawn of AI, many ethical concerns have arisen related to data privacy and sharing, AI-driven bias, and how to ethically navigate complexities related to AI tools. This presentation will provide a general overview of how bias can get amplified by AI, how to spot it, and how to both prevent and/or interrupt harmful impacts of AI on the interpretation, inference and dissemination of health information. Practitioners from all technological (or non-tech) backgrounds will learn the essentials of ethical AI and the foundational concepts that help guide ethically responsible AI use. AI usage is proliferating in the healthcare space and is affecting the way the public receives, understands and searches for public health information. As public health practitioners, it is imperative to understand the potential benefits and also harms of AI. Recognizing when AI may be perpetuating bias or over-generalizing results that are not applicable to diverse audiences is key to ensuring that AI will not expand existing health disparities. AI, when used correctly, holds great promise to promoting health and making it more accessible if providers are able to utilize it well and recognize its limitations. Attendees will leave this presentation with enhanced tools to understand the way in which AI operates in these spaces and how to insightfully monitor it’s use in the field. 

At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

1. Identify ethical concerns in AI usage as a public health practitioner 
2. Describe ethically responsible ways to utilize AI in a variety of public health and educational settings 

Competencies that will be covered include: 

8.1.2 Demonstrate ethical leadership, management, and behavior. 

4.4.5 Identify implications for practice. 

8.1 Practice in accordance with established ethical principles 

Sponsored by the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE), a designated provider of continuing education contact hours (CECH) in health education by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. This program is designated for Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES®) and/or Master Certified Health Education Specialists (MCHES®) to receive up to 1.0 total Category I contact education contact hours.

SOPHE is a provider of Certified in Public Health (CPH) Renewal Credits. A total of 1.0 CPH Renewal credits are provided on behalf of the National Board of Public Health Examiners.

Mentorship is an effective tool for professional growth, as a mentorship relationship between black women could be transformative if holistic. As mentioned in the article by Braswell et al. (2024), black women have a unique set of personal and professional challenges that would make a mentoring relationship one of a kind and highly beneficial, specifically in professions housed under the Health Education umbrella. The purpose of the presentation is to encourage the creation of safe spaces between the mentor and mentee, establish rapport in a space in which the mentee can thrive as the mentor shares lived experiences with the mentee, to not only benefit the mentee but also push Health Education professions forward in addressing the health-related issues that plague black women by using a holistic approach in discussing beauty secrets, self-care tips, and understanding one's leadership styles through assessment from the Eagle Center of Leadership. In the use of such tools towards a holistic approach comes the understanding that they may aid in the empowerment of black women in the health education profession. Sharing such tools can allow the mentee to "mirror" the mentor in success, "look fly while doing so," and become a game-changing leader in the health education profession. Such an approach will not only help to improve the health education practice in various communities, being morphed into programming opportunities, but could also create skill-building opportunities for the mentee, providing growth opportunities for professionals, and fostering the next generation of black women leaders.

At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the unique personal and professional challenges faced by Black women in the health education profession and the impact of culturally relevant, holistic mentorship.
2. Explain how the Transtheoretical Model of Change and the Social Ecological Model can be practically applied to build trust and create safe mentoring spaces for Black Women in health education.  
3. Discuss ways to translate holistic mentorship experiences into community programming and skill-building opportunities to advance equity and representation in the health education workforce.

Competencies that will be covered include: 

1.2.2 Establish collaborative relationships and agreements that facilitate access to data

1.3.3 Identify the social, cultural, economic, political, and environmental factors that impact the health and/or learning processes of the priority population

Sponsored by the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE), a designated provider of continuing education contact hours (CECH) in health education by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. This program is designated for Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES®) and/or Master Certified Health Education Specialists (MCHES®) to receive up to 1.0 total Category I contact education contact hours.

SOPHE is a provider of Certified in Public Health (CPH) Renewal Credits. A total of 1.0 CPH Renewal credits are provided on behalf of the National Board of Public Health Examiners.

We’ll break down how advocacy meetings are, what the 2025 public health policy “asks” will focus on, and how SOPHE prepares you to share your message with confidence. You'll also learn what materials and coaching will be provided, what networking opportunities are built into the event, and how to show up ready to make an impact.

Participants will leave with a full understanding of their role during the Summit, the structure of Hill visits, and how to navigate the educational and advocacy components of the event with clarity and confidence

At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the day-to-day structure and logistics of the 2025 SOPHE Advocacy Summit
2. Identify the 2025 policy priorities and “asks” to be delivered during Hill visits
3. Explain the purpose and format of Hill visits, coaching opportunities, and networking sessions

Competencies that will be covered include: 

5.2.2: Develop plans and strategies for effective advocacy

5.2.3: Implement advocacy strategies, consistent with organizational and professional values

6.2.1: Use appropriate communication modalities and technologies for the audience and setting

Sponsored by the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE), a designated provider of continuing education contact hours (CECH) in health education by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. This program is designated for Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES®) and/or Master Certified Health Education Specialists (MCHES®) to receive up to 1.0 total Category I contact education contact hours.

SOPHE is a provider of Certified in Public Health (CPH) Renewal Credits. A total of 1.0 CPH Renewal credits are provided on behalf of the National Board of Public Health Examiners.

Peer mental health support plays a critical role in early intervention, but too often, young people don’t know what to say or how to connect a friend to the right resources. According to the 2023–2024 Healthy Minds Study, nearly 60% of college students say they’ve received advice or support for their mental health from a roommate or friend in the past year alone.

That’s why The Jed Foundation (JED) and Maybelline New York created Brave Talk—a free, expert-designed 90-minute training that equips young people with the skills to recognize signs of distress, start meaningful conversations, and connect peers to care. Brave Talk is an interactive, accessible, and adaptable resource for various youth-serving environments.

To date, Brave Talk has been used at over 230 colleges and universities and in more than 30 countries worldwide, helping young people foster connection, reduce stigma, and support one another in moments of need. It was also featured in the BBC StoryWorks and World Health Organization (WHO) Foundation mini-documentary series, Healthier Together: A Path to a Better World, for its global impact in democratizing access to mental health tools.

The Jed Foundation is a national nonprofit and recognized leader in youth emotional health and suicide prevention. This session will be led by Kiana Davis, MPH, CHES, JED’s Director of Community Initiatives, who oversees the Brave Talk program and has trained public health and education leaders in over 30 countries on implementing the curriculum in colleges, schools, and community settings.

Whether you work in public health, higher education, community-based organizations, or youth development, you’ll leave this session with practical, expert-backed tools to support your community, plus the confidence to help young people take brave steps toward both help-seeking and help-giving.

In this session, attendees will:

- Explore the Brave Talk curriculum and the B.R.A.V.E. Framework

- Access free facilitation materials and implementation guidance

- Practice strategies that foster impactful peer-led conversations

- Learn from real-world examples of Brave Talk in action

At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

1. Identify and access the Brave Talk facilitation materials and resources provided during the session to prepare for independent implementation in their communities.
2. Demonstrate use of varied instructional methods by actively engaging in or facilitating a peer-led discussion exercise based on Brave Talk strategies by the end of the session.

Competencies that will be covered include: 

3.1.1 Secure implementation resources.

3.2.5 Employ an appropriate variety of instructional methodologies. Employ an appropriate variety of instructional methodologies.

Sponsored by the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE), a designated provider of continuing education contact hours (CECH) in health education by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. This program is designated for Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES®) and/or Master Certified Health Education Specialists (MCHES®) to receive up to 1.0 total Category I contact education contact hours.

SOPHE is a provider of Certified in Public Health (CPH) Renewal Credits. A total of 1.0 CPH Renewal credits are provided on behalf of the National Board of Public Health Examiners.

Healthcare systems, often built without meaningful input from marginalized communities, create significant barriers to equitable care. As AI integrates further into healthcare and health education, we must actively recognize and address biases in many AI tools that can worsen these disparities. Intentional practices to evaluate and vet these technologies are essential.

In this session, participants will explore how healthcare systems perpetuate inequities and learn how unchecked AI can amplify these issues. Attendees will identify specific ways AI can exacerbate health inequities and gain three practical methods to mitigate these biases, ensuring AI promotes inclusivity and reduces disparities.

At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

1. Describe how healthcare systems built without marginalized communities' input contribute to care barriers and inequities. 
2. Identify at least one way AI tools can worsen health inequities by recognizing biases in AI development. 
3. Explain three methods for understanding AI software's biases and practical approaches to mitigate these biases to support health equity.

Competencies that will be covered include: 

6.1.4 Identify environmental and other factors that affect communication (e.g., resources and the availability of Internet access.

6.4.1 Differentiate the strengths and weaknesses of various communication channels and technologies (e.g., mass media, community mobilization, counsel)

Sponsored by the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE), a designated provider of continuing education contact hours (CECH) in health education by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. This program is designated for Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES®) and/or Master Certified Health Education Specialists (MCHES®) to receive up to 1.0 total Category I contact education contact hours.

SOPHE is a provider of Certified in Public Health (CPH) Renewal Credits. A total of 1.0 CPH Renewal credits are provided on behalf of the National Board of Public Health Examiners.

Attending this webinar provides a valuable opportunity for educators and professionals involved in health education to deepen their understanding and enhance their practice. The session focuses on the use of a professional development planning template specifically designed to support the implementation of standards-based health education aligned with the National Health Education Standards (NHES), 3rd edition.

Participants will be introduced to practical strategies for integrating the NHES into their professional development efforts. The webinar is structured as a train-the-trainer session, which means attendees will not only learn how to apply the standards in their own instructional settings but also gain the skills and resources needed to train others. This approach empowers participants to become leaders in their schools, districts, or organizations, helping to expand the reach and consistency of standards-based health education.

Throughout the session, participants will explore the structure and content of the NHES, gaining a clear understanding of how these standards support effective health instruction. They will also receive access to curated tools and resources that can be immediately used to plan and deliver professional development aligned with the NHES. These materials are designed to save time, ensure consistency, and support high-quality instruction.

By the end of the webinar, attendees will be equipped to promote and implement standards-based teaching practices that align with national expectations. This not only enhances the quality of health education but also contributes to improved student outcomes. Additionally, the skills gained through this session can support participants’ professional growth, positioning them as knowledgeable advocates and trainers within their educational communities.

At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

1. Analyze how the use of standards-based teaching facilitates the development of effective health education focused on building knowledge and skills for implementing healthy behaviors.
2. Practice designing standards-based instruction using the NHES to achieve the desired outcomes of the priority populations they serve.

Competencies that will be covered include: 

2.3.4 Adopt, adapt, and/or develop tailored intervention(s) for priority population(s) to achieve desired outcomes.

2.4.2 Develop materials needed for implementation. 

2.4.3 Address factors that influence implementation

Sponsored by the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE), a designated provider of continuing education contact hours (CECH) in health education by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. This program is designated for Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES®) and/or Master Certified Health Education Specialists (MCHES®) to receive up to 1.0 total Category I contact education contact hours.

SOPHE is a provider of Certified in Public Health (CPH) Renewal Credits. A total of 1.0 CPH Renewal credits are provided on behalf of the National Board of Public Health Examiners.

Attendees will gain a better understanding of how physicians make decisions about what risks to communicate with patients. Over a decade into the opioid crisis, these new findings will reflect what physicians have learned about their roles in communicating medication risk to patients, as well as the ways they may have implemented opioid safeguarding techniques such as the use of prescription data monitoring systems. This rich data uses the extended parallel process model to gain a theoretical understanding of how physicians attribute risk to opioids (and susceptibility to that risk to their patients) and how well physicians perceive that their communication can mitigate those risks. Attendees will also learn how risk communication is essential in health communication contexts. Attendees may also learn what risk information doctors do not often communicate to their patients about opioids or other medications and may therefore gain new insight into what questions are important to ask their own healthcare providers when they are prescribed a new medication.

At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the ways family physicians and internal medicine practitioners communicate the risks of opioids to their patients.
2. Explore the extent to which physicians perceive their role as risk communicators.
3. Articulate the role of patient-provider communication in risk management during opioid prescribing interactions.

Competencies that will be covered include: 

4.2.3 Use a logic model and/or theory for research.

4.5.1 Communicate findings by preparing reports, and presentations, and by other means.

Sponsored by the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE), a designated provider of continuing education contact hours (CECH) in health education by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. This program is designated for Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES®) and/or Master Certified Health Education Specialists (MCHES®) to receive up to 1.0 total Category I contact education contact hours.

SOPHE is a provider of Certified in Public Health (CPH) Renewal Credits. A total of 1.0 CPH Renewal credits are provided on behalf of the National Board of Public Health Examiners.

SCRIPT® (Smoking Cessation and Reduction in Pregnancy Treatment) is a nationally recognized training that has long helped healthcare and public health professionals deliver motivational interviewing-based counseling to support pregnant individuals in quitting tobacco. 

The new self-paced, three-module training includes these updates: 

• CDC-aligned guidance on e-cigarettes 

• Medicaid billing insights for sustainable delivery 

• New home visiting protocols 

• Enhanced tools for documentation and prenatal care integration 

SCRIPT® aligns with AHRQ guidelines and Medicaid-covered services—making it ideal for clinical, WIC, home visiting, and community health settings.

At the end of this module, you will be able to:

• Apply motivational interviewing techniques to guide behavior change. 

• Integrate SCRIPT® into routine prenatal screening, counseling, and follow-up. 

• Apply real-world tools for use in clinical, public health, and home visit settings.

• Evaluate and support pregnant clients with structured documentation and counseling workflows. 

 HESPA II Sub-competencies:

3.1.4 Establish training protocol.

3.2 Deliver health education and promotion interventions.

4.1.1 Align the evaluation plan with the intervention goals and objectives.

SCRIPT® aligns with U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations, making counseling potentially reimbursable under Medicaid’s prenatal benefit in many states.

Join us for an exciting sneak peek into the 2025 SOPHE Advocacy Summit: Finding Common Ground – Pathways to a Healthier Nation. This preview is your chance to learn what the Summit is all about, why you should attend, and how it empowers students and professionals to sharpen their advocacy skills for health equity and policy change.

We will come together to find common ground and create a shared public health agenda. Whether you're new to advocacy or a seasoned changemaker, the Summit provides a dynamic learning environment with customized experiences for all levels of engagement.

Educational Tracks at the Summit:

• Health in All Policies: Learn how upstream policies can reduce disparities and support long-term health improvements.

• The Public Health Crisis: Tackle today’s toughest public health challenges and train the next generation of advocates.

• Community-Driven Advocacy: Discover the power of grassroots efforts and local leadership in shaping systems change.

• Health Communication Challenges: Strengthen your messaging skills and build trust to combat misinformation and advance public health literacy.

Join us at the Advocacy Summit, so you can:

• Build confidence in your advocacy skills and learn from policy leaders and public health experts

• Engage with students and professionals from across the country

• Leave with tools and resources to continue advocacy in your own community

At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

1. Identify one resource gap they must address.
2. List two stakeholders at the national, state, or local level that they can engage with on a public health issue.
3. Create a stakeholder map that highlights at least one potential partner for future collaboration.

Competencies that will be covered include: 

5.2.5 Identify available resources and gaps (e.g., financial, personnel, information, and data). 

5.1.5 Identify existing coalition(s) or stakeholders that can be engaged in advocacy efforts.

Sponsored by the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE), a designated provider of continuing education contact hours (CECH) in health education by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. This program is designated for Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES®) and/or Master Certified Health Education Specialists (MCHES®) to receive up to 1.0 total Category I contact education contact hours.

SOPHE is a provider of Certified in Public Health (CPH) Renewal Credits. A total of 1.0 CPH Renewal credits are provided on behalf of the National Board of Public Health Examiners.