PINEHURST, N.C. – Sandhills Community College and the National Institute of Whole Health, pioneers of Whole Health Education® and Whole Person Care, have entered into a joint Whole Health partnership to offer cutting edge, distance learning courses used to empower individuals to create healthier, more natural lives by training health coaches and educators for physician offices, hospitals and insurance companies.

“NIWH is recognized nationally as the pioneers of Whole Health Education, and we are excited to be working with them,” said Professor Bill Croft, PhD, who is the Health Science Department Chair at Sandhills Community College and graduate of the NIWH program. “We both share the mission of helping people improve their lifestyle through education. Education is the key element in improving healthcare delivery by helping people adopt healthy lifestyles. Working together, we may be able to change the face of healthcare in our small corner of the world.”

This partnership helps address the college’s mission to provide educational programs of the highest quality to all the people of Sandhills as well as one of the college’s nine main goals to create and market educational programs, including programs delivered via distance learning that excite and meet the needs of all segments of our service area. According to Croft, “This program is certainly exciting, and it is a distance learning Distance Learning means that one can take class from any computer with Internet access from any location. Students do not need to be on the campus, but College computers are available for use if needed.

As a graduate of the NIWH program, Croft serves as the onsite administrator and promoter of the program. “This agreement can help bring real change to the healthcare system by developing health coaches and educators for physician offices, hospitals and insurance companies,” explained Croft. Some graduates may choose to use this as part of their existing practice or to use it as a change of direction in their career. While it is a program primarily for practicing credentialed and licensed healthcare workers, some educators are also finding this helpful to expand their roles.”

“The National Institute of Whole Health is very pleased to be working with Sandhills Community College in a mutually shared vision of providing allied health, medical and education professionals evidence-based, cutting edge health education and health coaching programs designed to assist in transforming our current health care model to a whole person health care system,” said Dr. Georgianna Donadio, NIWH Program For the past 32 years, NIWH has provided evidence-based, integrated health education, delivered in a relationship-centered, whole person focused program for health and medical professionals who desire to provide better patient care. This approach integrates the most current medical research with a natural outlook on healing and the wisdom of various spiritual teachings — all of which are grounded in integrity and compassion.

NIWH is an Accredited Provider of Continuing Professional Education through the Commission on Dietetic Registration of the American Dietetics Association and the Commission for Health Education Credentialing. NIWH is an approved provider of Education and Training through the U.S. Veterans Administration, approved by the Department of Higher Education, and is an Endorsed program of the American Holistic Nurses Association and the International Honor Society of Nursing. NIWH is approved to provide Continuing Professional education by several other national credentialing associations that include nursing professionals, social workers, health educators, acupuncturists, chiropractors and licensed nutrition professionals.

Founded in 1977 and headquartered in Wellesley, MA, the National Institute of Whole Health (NIWH) offers the most established and credentialed integrative whole health certification programs in the U.S. NIWH’s offerings include a Norman Cousins Award nominated Best Practice model – the Whole Health Education certification program; a Whole Health Educator program for Nurses, endorsed by the American Holistic Nurses Association; a Nutrition Educator certification program; and a Whole Health Coaching certification program that can be completed by distance learning. Recognized nationally as the pioneers of Whole Health Education®, the school has instructed thousands of students with varying occupations from all over the U.S., and now offers DVD distance learning with students located on five continents.

For more information, visit www.sandhills.edu/coned/whole-health or contact Bill Croft

at (910) 695-3836 or croftb@sandhills.edu.