National Process, Outcomes, and Impact Evaluation of the Public Health AmeriCorps

Public Health AmeriCorps is a partnership between AmeriCorps and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) built upon an initial investment from the American Rescue Plan Act workforce funding.

Public Health AmeriCorps has three main goals: 

• Engage AmeriCorps members in addressing local public health needs 
• Advance equitable health outcomes for underserved communities 
• Create pathways to public health-related careers 

AmeriCorps contracted with JBS International to conduct a five-year evaluation of Public Health AmeriCorps to document program implementation, facilitate “real-time” learning and improvement, and assess progress toward the program’s goals, outcomes, and impacts.  

Process Evaluation Research Questions

• What are the commonalities across Public Health AmeriCorps programs? How do programs differ? 
• What are the successes and challenges of implementing Public Health AmeriCorps? 
• How well are Public Health AmeriCorps programs being implemented? 
• What measures do Public Health AmeriCorps grantees propose to use to gauge performance, progress, and program effectiveness? How reliable and valid are the proposed measures?  
• What strategies do Public Health AmeriCorps programs use to recruit members? 
• Are members recruited from the communities grantees serve? Do members serve in the communities they are recruited from?
• What types of trainings, certifications and credentials do members receive? 
• Are the trainings Public Health AmeriCorps members receive evidence-based? 
• What kind of professional supports are provided to members? 
• What additional education, training, workforce development supports do members need to achieve their longer-term public health career goals? 
• What systemic and structural barriers do grantees anticipate members might experience? What services or resources have grantees put in place or identify to address these barriers? 
• How does AmeriCorps address the structural and systemic barriers that members experience? Are there additional supports and services that AmeriCorps could provide? 
• What ongoing health-related careers opportunities do grantees offer to broaden members’ career pathways in public health? 
• What is the relationship, if any, between grantee organizations and local or state health departments? 
• How does a relationship with local or state health departments impact grantees’ programs and processes? 
• To what extent was the partnership between AmeriCorps and CDC successful or offered a model for cross agency collaboration, including at local, state, and federal levels? 
• What are the lessons learned from AmeriCorps and CDC collaboration and partnership effort that can be used to inform future cross agency partnership efforts? 
• At what stage(s) of the initiative’s life cycle was the cross-agency partnership most (or least) critical in terms of collaboration, communication, and coordination?

Outcomes Evaluation Research Questions

• To what extent do members find the training and skill building provided sufficient for supporting them in their service activities?  
• What types of competencies, knowledge, and skills do members develop?  
• What kinds of professional support helped members succeed in their career search and careers after their Public Health AmeriCorps service? 
• What types of roles do members serve within their grantee organizations and/or host sites?  
• How do members interact with public health on a day-to-day basis?  
• What are members doing to support their grantees’ public health goals? 
• How do Public Health AmeriCorps alumni compare to the alumni of other public health training programs or experiences that offer similar opportunities to address community needs?  
• To what extent does Public Health AmeriCorps members build or strengthen capacity and support state and local public health settings to address the needs of underserved communities? 
• In what ways does participating in a Public Health AmeriCorps National Service program influence members’ civic participation?  

Impact Evaluation Research Questions

• Does participation in Public Health AmeriCorps programs lead members to public health-related careers by providing them exposure through onsite experience, and training? 
• To what extent is that a result of programs providing exposure through onsite experience and training?  
• Does participation in the Public Health AmeriCorps program lead members to pursue or obtain credentials, certifications, or degrees in a public health occupation?  
• What is the impact on AmeriCorps members recruited from within the communities in which they will serve? 

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Supplemental Information produced by AmeriCorps

• The Public Health AmeriCorps Dashboard gives users the power to explore data on current and former Public Health AmeriCorps grantees to learn about the composition and characteristics of grantees, members and member recruitment strategies, communities served, and proposed interventions: Public Health AmeriCorps Dashboard
• The Data Pulse Check series provides point-in-time supportive PHA member data bi-annually: April 2024, October 2024
• PHA Voices from the Field provides qualitative interview data on key themes or topics: Program Experiences, Post-Service Plans