FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 13, 2021

New partnership with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will build pipeline of public health leaders

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As part of a $7 billion investment in the public health workforce, the Biden-Harris Administration has announced Public Health AmeriCorps, which will support the recruitment, training, and development of a new generation of public health leaders who will be ready to respond to the nation’s public health needs.

Public Health AmeriCorps is a joint effort between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and AmeriCorps, the federal agency for volunteering and national service, and will build on the expertise, best practices, and lessons learned from existing AmeriCorps and other public health programs. The program will help meet public health needs of local communities by providing much-needed surge capacity for state and local public health agencies and develop pathways to public health-related careers through on-site experience and training with a focus on recruiting AmeriCorps members who reflect the communities in which they will serve.

Supported by a $400 million investment from the American Rescue Plan, the project is anticipated to fund up to 5,000 AmeriCorps positions over the next five years. Grants will be awarded through a competitive process, with the first competition expected in fall of 2021.

“Public Health AmeriCorps will be a shining example of the whole of government approach to helping this country build back better,” said Karen Dahl, senior advisor for COVID-19 at AmeriCorps. “Together, the Centers for Disease Control and AmeriCorps will leverage our collective strength and experience to empower others and serve communities that have been hit hardest by the pandemic.”

The May 13 announcement from the White House included the following:

Launch Public Health AmeriCorps: At a time of unprecedented interest in public health, CDC and AmeriCorps … will work together to launch the Public Health AmeriCorps – a $400 million investment from the American Rescue Plan that will recruit and build a new workforce that is ready to respond to the public health needs of the nation and provide public health service in their own communities. The program will focus on building a diverse pipeline for the public health workforce and providing direct service to communities across the country. The partnership will leverage the expertise of both agencies, capitalizing on AmeriCorps’ experience managing some of the most prominent public service and workforce development programs in the nation while benefitting from CDC’s technical expertise as the country’s public health agency.

 

This announcement builds on AmeriCorps’ continued investments in the nation’s COVID-19 recovery. With existing programs in more than 40,000 locations across the country, AmeriCorps is uniquely positioned to bolster community response efforts. For the past year, thousands of AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors members across all 50 states and U.S. territories have continued their service, quickly adapting to meet the changing needs caused by the pandemic and have provided vital support, community response, and recovery efforts, providing support to more than 11 million Americans, including 2.3 million people at vaccination sites.

This funding is in addition to the $1 billion for AmeriCorps in the recently passed American Rescue Plan. The agency will use this investment to expand national service programs into new communities and increase the opportunity for all Americans to serve their country.

AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteering, brings people together to tackle the country’s most pressing challenges. AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers serve with organizations dedicated to the improvement of communities. AmeriCorps helps make service to others a cornerstone of our national culture. Learn more at AmeriCorps.gov. The ARP press kit includes media resources, such as stock photos, fast facts, and b-roll.