A consultant-based model provides municipalities with access to a team of qualified health educators through a contracted service rather than hiring a single full-time employee. The municipality receives program delivery, coordination, and oversight without assuming employer responsibilities.

An in-house model relies on one individual with a fixed skill set and capacity. A consultant-based model offers multiple educators, broader expertise, built-in coverage, and the ability to scale services up or down based on municipal priorities.

Yes. The consulting organization assumes responsibility for staffing, training, scheduling, and performance management. The municipality avoids HR liability, employee benefits administration, and employment-related risk.

Yes. Consultant-based services are aligned with CHES competencies and structured to comply with NJSA requirements for public health education services, provided the organization meets state standards and scope of practice expectations.

While hourly or contract rates may appear similar to salary on paper, consultant-based services eliminate costs associated with benefits, payroll taxes, PTO, onboarding, supervision, and turnover. Many municipalities find the total price is comparable or lower while receiving significantly more capacity.

A consultant-based health education model extends a municipality’s reach beyond a single staff position by providing access to a broader, established professional network. This typically includes:

• Health educators with diverse specialties, allowing programs to be tailored across areas such as chronic disease prevention, nutrition education, behavioral health, environmental health, and health literacy.

• Clinical professionals, as appropriate, including board-certified physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals who may support education, referral pathways, or subject-matter validation—without replacing or duplicating clinical care.

• Nonprofit and advocacy organizations with aligned missions, expanding the municipality’s ability to co-host programs, leverage trusted messengers, and reach priority populations more effectively.

• Community-based organizations and local partners such as schools, faith-based institutions, housing authorities, and social service providers, which strengthens outreach, participation, and cultural relevance.

• State, regional, and public health resources, including alignment with guidance, campaigns, and toolkits from agencies such as NJDOH, CDC, and other regional health initiatives, ensuring programs remain evidence-based and compliant.