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Healthy Homes Specialist Credential




   

The Healthy Homes Specialist (HHS) Credential is the newest addition to the National Environmental Health Association’s (NEHA) eight other credential offerings. It was developed in partnership with the National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH) and the National Healthy Homes Training Center & Network (Training Center).

NCHH and the Training Center offer the Essentials of Healthy Homes Course that helps candidates to prepare you for the HHS credential. The examination to earn the credential will be administered at the end of the course.

The HHS exam tests your understanding of the connection between health and housing, enabling you to take a holistic approach to identify and resolve problems that threaten the health and well being of residents.

About  

The National Environmental Health Association (NEHA), the National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH), and the National Healthy Homes Training Center and Network (Training Center) have partnered to offer a Healthy Homes Specialist credential.  This credential is designed for health and housing professionals in the public, private and non-profit sectors.

Each partner brings strengths to the partnership. NCHH provides technical expertise on healthy housing.  The Training Center brings a network of universities and training partners who offer the training necessary to ensure the success of the Healthy Homes Specialist.  NEHA is the leading national environmental health organization providing resources and credentialing capabilities.

Please download our Candidate Information Brochure for additional information about the Healthy Homes Specialist (HHS) credential.

 

Is this credential right for you?

If you are a professional in one of the groups below, you may be interested attaining the Healthy Homes Specialist credential:

  1. Individuals who have been certified or licensed as lead risk assessors, radon measurement professionals, or mold professionals—These individuals have developed a basic expertise in a specific environmental hazard in the home and are interested in expanding their capabilities and services.
  2. NEHA Registered Environmental Health Specialists seeking to demonstrate their experience and expertise in housing.
  3. Public health nurses seeking to document their expertise in healthy homes. 
  4. Health department and housing agency staff seeking to document their expertise in healthy homes or better position their agencies to receive U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Healthy Homes grants.
  5. Licensed pest management professionals seeking to expand their services—Resolving pest problems using integrated pest management techniques essentially relies on a knowledge base similar that of the Healthy Homes Practitioner.
  6. Certified home inspectors seeking to expand their business by adding healthy homes to their standard services.
  7. Home Performance Specialists
  8. Home Energy Raters
  9. Weatherization Professionals
  10. Remodeling and Rehab Professionals

Eligibility

To be eligible to obtain the Healthy Homes Specialist credential, you must complete the Application for Healthy Homes Specialist (HSS) Credential and meet the following criteria:

  1. Be at least 21 years old;
  2. Have five years of experience in housing, environmental health or public health;
  3. Achieve a score of 70% on the qualifying examination; and
  4. Successfully complete an on-line assessment exercise.

Application

To apply for the Healthy Homes Specialist credential, please download, complete and return the Application for Healthy Homes Specialist Credential to NEHA with the appropriate fees.

 

Fees

Fee Member Rate Non-member Rate
Application fee $25 $50
Exam fee $95 $125
Assessment Exercise fee $30 $30

Exam Content Outline

The Healthy Homes Specialist Credential examination consists of 75 multiple-choice questions. You are given two (2) hours to complete the examination. The following represents the exam content:

Percent of
Exam		 Number of
Questions

Connection between health and housing             

  • Asthma
  • Death
  • Cancer
  • Neurological problems
  • Injury
  • Damp indoor spaces
  • Lead poisoning
  • Radon
  • Asbestos
20%   15 
Housing codes and related laws 10%  7 or 8
Housing as a system – basics of building science 20%  15 
Healthy homes strategies
  • Keep it dry
  • Keep it clean
  • Keep it pest-free
  • Keep it ventilated
  • Keep it safe
  • Avoid contaminants
  • Maintain the home
40% 30
Resources for healthy homes 10% 7 or  8
Total   100% 75 questions

 

Study References

While training is not a prerequisite to obtaining a credential, individuals who have completed the two-day Essentials for Healthy Homes Practitioners course offered by the National Healthy Homes Training Center and Network will have the foundation they need to succeed. All course materials, including the exercises and videos, are available on-line at www.healthyhomestraining.org.

The core reference for the training is the Healthy Homes Reference Manual by U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and U.S. Department of Health and Urban Development. It is available for download in entirety or by chapter.

Training and Exam Dates

Visit the National Healthy Homes Training Center and Network to learn about upcoming training courses offered in conjunction with the Healthy Homes Specialist Examination.

NEW!  The Health Homes Specialist Examination is now available via computer-based testing at LaserGrade Testing Centers.

How does it work?

  1. Contact LaserGrade at 800.211.2754 to schedule your exam.  Exam appointments must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance.  
  2. Payment must be made to LaserGrade testing centers.  Upon completion of the exam, candidates will receive an "Exam Completion Letter" to present to NEHA.
  3. Candidates will have the option to choose an e-mail or fax confirmation of their exam time, date and location.  
  4. Pre-approval for the HHS credential is not required.  However, exam results will not be released until NEHA's HHS credential application is complete and credential fees are paid.
  5. One valid, non-expired government issued form of identification is required for admittance to the test center.  Identification must include photo and signature.  Examples of possible identification include:  driver's license, state-issued ID card, passport, military ID card.  
  6. Please give at least 24 hours notice before cancelling or rescheduling an exam.  Candidates who fail to appear for their scheduled exam appointment will forfeit their exam fee.
Questions?  Please contact Christine Hollenbeck at 303.756.9090, ext. 306 or chollenbeck@neha.org.  

ADA Accommodations—Candidates with Disabilities/Impairments

NEHA is committed to ensuring that no individual is deprived of the opportunity to take a credentialing examination solely by reason of a disability or impairment. All test centers are fully accessible and compliant with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA).

To request special accommodations, you must download and complete one document containing two parts - the Accommodation Request form and the Documentation of Disability-Related Needs form). Your submission must include the specific diagnosis of your disability, medical records, or other written proof of the diagnosis by an appropriate licensed professional, as well as the requested type of accommodation. Both forms must be returned to NEHA at least 30 days prior to the scheduled test date. If the forms are not returned to NEHA within 30 days prior to the scheduled test date your request for special accommodations may not be honored.

With respect to all matters related to testing accommodations, NEHA will only communicate with the candidate; those professionals who are knowledgeable about the candidate’s disability or impairment; and the candidate’s authorized representative (if applicable).

 

Maintaining Your Healthy Homes Specialist Credential

Once you have obtained the Healthy Homes Specialist Credential, you will be expected to maintain it through continuing education requirements and renewal fees.

The Healthy Homes Specialist Credential is valid for two years from the first day of the month after you have initially obtained the credential. Within the two-year credential period, you must obtain and submit to NEHA a minimum of 15 contact hours of continuing education (CE). In addition, at the end of the two-year credential period you must submit the credential renewal fee to NEHA. This fee is $85 for NEHA members and $115 for non-members.

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