Health Coach Week 2019

The Wellness Revolution: A Healthy Outlook

Health Coach Week is an international campaign to place Health Coaches at the front of a real global wellness revolution.

We meet regularly with policy makers all over the world and tell them about the great work Health Coaches do to improve health and happiness.

With your help we PASSED the Health and Wellness Coach Resolution in the United States Senate!

We advocated for Health Coaches in media and there are thousands of positive stories about Health Coaches in the largest media outlets in the world.

Health Coaches have been recognized by major medical associations as key allies in our work to improve the world’s wellbeing. Health Coach Week is about fulfilling a dream to bring health coaching to all people, we need you to make this a reality.

"HOW CAN I BE A PART OF THE WELLNESS REVOLUTION?"

Glad you asked!
We’ve put together simple steps you can take to tell the world about the transformational work we do as Health Coaches.

Sign, Share and Contribute: 

Pass Local Health Coach Proclamations (International and USA):

  • Meet with your local representatives (city, province, or territory).
  • Ask them to introduce and pass a Health and Wellness Coach Proclamation. If you need assistance with what to say, see the content below.
  • Health Coaches in Action: An IIN Health Coach recently worked with the mayor of Fort Lauderdale, Florida and issued an official proclamation recognizing Health Coaches. You can do the same!

How to Meet your Members of Congress and Local Officials (USA and International)

STEP 1: Find out who your elected officials are.

  • Click Find Your Representative and Find Your Senator.
  • Go to your representative and senators' websites and locate their local/district offices (usually at the bottom of the webpage).
  • International Health Coaches call your local, provincal or regional goverment office.

STEP 2: Set up the meeting.

  • Select the offices closest to you and call to schedule a meeting. Use the guide below to assist you.

STEP 3: The ask.

  • Ask your representative to cosponsor the House Health Coach Resolution H.Res 117. Sponsored by Rep. Mullin (R-OK) and Rep. Payne, Jr. (D-NJ)
  • Ask your representative to support H.R.2359, that advances Whole Health Transformation and Health Coaching at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Sponsored by Rep. Lamb (D-PA).
  • Ask your representative and senators to cosponsor the Health Savings Act of 2019, which allows pretax dollars to be spent directly on health coaching.
  • International IIN Health Coaches ask your representative to pass a Health Coach proclamation. 

Share Positive Media about Health Coaches (International and USA)

  • "We want to See You Making a Positive Impact" During health coach week (Monday, June 3 - Sunday, June 9) post pictures of how you're making positive change in people's lives with the hashtag #IINHealthCoachWeek.
  • Did you know the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Family Physicians and the Wall Street Journal have all recently endorsed health coaching? Share these articles on your social media and tag them with #IINHealthCoachWeek

What to say when you call your elected officials

Feel free to personalize to your own voice:

“Hello, my name is (name). I live in (town), and I’m a constituent of (Name of Rep. or Senator). I am a local Health Coach who works with clients in the area to help them reach their health and wellness goals. Health coaching is a growing profession that improves overall health and lowers healthcare costs.

I’m calling because I’d like to schedule a meeting with a staff person that handles healthcare and nutrition to discuss this important profession, what Health Coaches are doing in Washington, DC, and how we make an impact here in the district."

What happens when you attend the meeting

You’ll likely find the staff pleasant, informed, and interested in you and health coaching. They want to hear from their constituents, especially you!

Below is a suggested script, feel free to personalize and tell personal stories and client improvements:

"My name is ______, and I’m a Health Coach. Do you know what a Health Coach is and what we do?"

"We are the behavioral change agents that get people to do the things they know they should be doing for their health—but don't."

"These positive changes contribute to the achievement of an individual’s personal wellness goals, lower their healthcare expenditures, and increase energy and productivity."

"Common areas of focus include improving nutrition habits, stress management, strategies to increase physical exercise, improved sleep (plus whatever else you’d like to add, but please stay within a Health Coach’s scope of practice)."

Discuss IIN (100,000 students and graduates, all 50 states, 120+ countries over 25 years), the courses, what you learned, Primary Foods, and bioindividuality.

"IIN’s Health Coach Training Program counts toward undergraduate and even graduate level credits if people are interested in pursuing additional education."

Note: Share your stories of personal health transformation and how you empower clients to do the same. Compelling stories and openness will win over the people you’re meeting with.

Have fun!

Ask: "We encourage (Rep. or Senator) to support the House and Senate Health Savings Acts of 2019 and H.Res. 117, The House Health Coach Resolution, and H.R. 2359."

Take pictures at your meeting and use the following hashtags so we can see what you're up to!

Here are the important issues you need to know about in Washington

It’s Health Coach Week!
JUNE 3 THROUGH JUNE 9

  • The U.S. Senate PASSED the Health Coach Resolution (S.Res.67) 
  • "Health Coaching" included as allowable pretax expense in legislation. 
  • On your behalf, we participated in over 350 meetings with members of Congress and their staff!
  • Members of Congress support "Health Coaching" which appears in three pieces of federal legislation.

International Students

We haven’t forgotten you! We want you to participate and share the good work of IIN Health Coaches where you live, too!

To get involved, contact your local, city, and regional governments and ask them how you can submit a “Health Coach Proclamation” to support and encourage the use and Health Coaches to improve wellness.

Here’s an example of what you might send (just make sure you update the parts in parentheses!):

Expressing support for health and wellness coaches and “National Health and Wellness Coach Recognition Week”.

Whereas, June 3, 2019, through June 9, 2019, is “National Health and Wellness Coach Recognition Week”; Whereas lifestyle-related chronic diseases are at the heart of the current healthcare crisis in the (name of country);

Whereas decades of research have linked lifestyle factors, such as inactivity, poor diet, tobacco smoking, and sustained stress, with increased risk for major illnesses and death;

Whereas attempts to reduce these lifestyle-related chronic disease and costs have proven to be financially unsustainable within a system that rewards hospitalizations and invasive procedures;

Whereas incentives for interventions and technologies that achieve desired outcomes such as outpatient care, risk management, patient support, and health coaching should be encouraged;

Whereas a large gap exists between health care provider recommendations and sustainable health-related behavior change;

Whereas health coaches are a new type of health care worker who serve as wellness guides and supportive mentors that motivate individuals to cultivate positive health choices and move them toward those specific goals;

Whereas health coaches support their clients in achieving health based on the clients’ goals and consistent with the treatment plans recommended by healthcare providers;

Whereas health coaches assist clients to use their insight, personal strengths and resources, goal setting, action steps and accountability toward healthy lifestyle change;

Whereas health coaches serve a vital role in improving an individual’s wellness that complements and does not replace the work of health care professionals; and

Whereas there are an increasing number of studies that show the effectiveness of health and wellness coaches in improving individual health and wellness and reducing health care costs:

Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, in the (name of city, region, etc.) —

(1) supports the designation of “National Health and Wellness Coach Recognition Week”; and

(2) supports the efforts of health and wellness coaches on their important work to improve the health and wellness of (name of people).