Public Health AmeriCorps, an innovative program in partnership with the CDC, celebrates two years of responding to the health needs of the nation.
On April 5, 2022, AmeriCorps joined forces with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to leverage our collective strength and experience to empower Americans and serve communities hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic. Public Health AmeriCorps has flourished to meet the health needs of local communities, provide pathways to careers, and rebuild the public health workforce with greater representation from the communities it serves. In two years, more than 4,000 members have joined the program, serving at more than 1,000 sites all across the country and territories.
Public Health AmeriCorps is not just a pitstop—it’s a pathway with representation and inclusion baked into its identity. AmeriCorps members serving with this program are younger, more diverse, and have less access to higher education than the Public Health Workforce – and they exit the program with skills that carry weight on a resume.
Public Health AmeriCorps has a triple bottom line: it’s good for the health of our communities, it’s good for organizations, and it’s good for those who serve.
Celebrate our second anniversary by revisiting some of our favorite moments.
AmeriCorps Member Dionne
Last year, we met Dionne, an AmeriCorps member serving in Denver, Colo. Her passion for service and determination to strengthen the health of her community moved us.
“I had a family member die from COVID-19, and it really touched me,” Johnson said. “That gave me the passion and it lit the fire under me to actually pursue a career in public health.”
Hear from Dionne and find out how she’s transforming public health in her community.
American Public Health Association Annual Meeting
Last year, APHA funded 26 AmeriCorps members and alumni and four grantee organizations to attend and present their work with Public Health AmeriCorps at the American Public Health Association Annual Meeting & Expo in Atlanta, GA. Members gained valuable professional experience, expanded their networks, grew more confident in themselves, and were fired up to impact the health of their community.
AmeriCorps member, Farid, serving his second term with the program, joined AmeriCorps CEO Michael D. Smith, Dr. Lisa Cooper, Dr. Leslie Ann Dauphin, director of the National Center for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Public Health Infrastructure and Workforce, and Dr. Judith Monroe, president and CEO of the CDC Foundation, for a panel on Building an Innovative, Diverse and Effective Public Health Workforce.
“Finding Public Health AmeriCorps really equipped me with the tools to understand what it was I was seeing [during the pandemic],” said Farid. “And how I could see myself in the public health system.”
Watch a highlight of the panel discussion on APHA TV.
Healthy Minds Alliance
AmeriCorps members, like those with Health 360, serve nationwide as counselors for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (988) to provide free and confidential emotional support and as trainers for mental health programs. AmeriCorps alumna, now Health 360 staff, Carissa, shared how her service led her to become a social worker, and how AmeriCorps addresses the mental health crisis.
“During my time with the program, I quickly realized the transformative power of national service. I confidently trained groups of people and was enlightened by every class, said Carissa. “I learned quickly the value of personal stories, the turmoil of mental health challenges, and the hope for recovery.”
Read her full story: Bit.ly/MentalHealth-Action
Public Health AmeriCorps Convening
In November 2023, Public Health AmeriCorps and the CDC gathered with grantee organizations from across the nation. During the convening, our partner organizations shared success stories, swapped tips, and showcased their public health initiatives.
We’re proud to partner with organizations that provide needed capacity and support in state and local public health settings and who meet the members of their community where they are.
From filling in the gaps of the public health workforce to advancing equity in our local health systems and communities, Public Health AmeriCorps opens the door for a new generation to respond to the nation’s health needs. Happy two-year anniversary!
Whether you’re a high school grad, ready for a career shift, or looking to improve the health of your community, there is a place for you with Public Health AmeriCorps. Head to AmeriCorps.gov/PublicHealth and join us in building a healthy future for everyone.