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National Health Corps Delaware: Community Health Fellowship
Join the National Health Corps Delaware - Community Health Fellowship!
“The COVID-19 pandemic not only highlighted but also exacerbated health inequities across our county,” said New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer. “We’ve made eliminating these health disparities a priority by launching the National Health Corps Community Health Fellowship Program with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) resources. This program is a win-win; placing public health minded individuals within local community or health non-profits; while members gain critical experience and at the conclusion of the program, a certificate in community health work from Delaware Technical and Community College.”
County Executive Matt Meyer invites nonprofits and New Castle County residents to learn about the NHC: Community Health Fellowship program and apply to become involved. NHC’s mission is to foster healthy communities by connecting those who need it most with health and wellness education, benefits, and services, while developing tomorrow’s compassionate health leaders.
NHC: Community Health Fellowship is an expanded iteration of NHC Delaware, which was founded in Delaware in 2021 with New Castle County COVID Cares Act funds and national direct AmeriCorps funds through the Health Federation of Philadelphia (HFP). This year, AmeriCorps and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) joined forces to launch Public Health AmeriCorps and support the recruitment, training, and development of the next generation of public health leaders who will be ready to respond to the nation’s public health needs.
Prospective Members must be 18 years old, have completed high school or the equivalent, and live within New Castle County. Members will commit to 35 hours full-time per week and 1,700 hours over the course of 42-52 weeks. They will receive a stipend of $25,500 over the course of their service term (the equivalent of $15 per hour); health, vision and dental insurance; child-care reimbursement (if needed); transportation reimbursement for commuting to required training days; mental health, financial and life counseling; student loan forbearance with no interest during the service term; and CHW, Digital Health Navigator and Medical Interpreter certificates.
Members will also earn a $6,435 Federal Education Award at the successful completion of their Service Term, which can be widely applied to education and training opportunities.
To Apply as an AmeriCorps candidate for a full-time position with local nonprofits, use these links:
- Apply to the NHC-DE Community Health Fellowship
- Learn about the NHCDE Community Health Fellowship
- Learn More about National Health Corps
To apply as a Host Site Organization, please use these links to provide required information and contact Program Director Tonya Richardson at: tonya.richardson[email protected]
The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the urgent need to further enhance public health resources across the country. This effort starts with investing in a future workforce to help local communities respond to and recover from COVID-19. NHC: Community Health Fellowship has three main objectives:
- Decrease health disparities through addressing social determinants of health, including underlying structural oppression in communities plagued by histories of racial and economic inequities;
- Provide community members training and experience in community health worker, digital navigator and medical interpreter roles for a culturally representative, well-trained public health workforce;
- Improve organizational efficiencies, community engagement and reach of services addressing social determinants of health
This year, New Castle County will match with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding and as a charter program of President Biden’s Public Health AmeriCorps, the NHC: Community Health Fellowship program will offer 15 full-time service apprenticeships at nonprofit health organizations, as well as be enrolled into Delaware Technical and Community College’s Community Health Worker Program. Some members, whose host site service include digital health navigation and/or medical interpreter activities, will also take digital health navigation and medical interpreter trainings provided by HFP. All NHC: Community Health Fellowship members will have the option to enroll in the latter trainings regardless of host site service activities if they desire.
New Castle County piloted the expansion of the National Health Corps program into Delaware in 2021. National Health Corps is an AmeriCorps National Direct program whose mission is to increase access to health care to underserved communities, promote health, reduce health care costs and develop new health professionals. Founded in 1994 and administered by the Health Federation of Philadelphia, the HNC has members serving at sites in Chicago, North Florida, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Northeast Pennsylvania, Central California and San Francisco. NHC members serve at community host sites including community health centers, health departments, schools, and community-based public health organizations.
In 2021 and 2022, New Castle County operated this pilot using federal CARES Act funds, and member activities focused on ongoing COVID-19 response, including vaccine programs and addressing health inequities associated with the pandemic.
Press Release 8/30/2022