AmeriCorps Public Health AmeriCorps
About the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) works to protect America from health, safety and security threats, both foreign and in the U.S. Whether diseases start at home or abroad, are chronic or acute, curable or preventable, human error or deliberate attack, CDC fights disease and supports communities and citizens to do the same.
CDC increases the health security of our nation. As the nation's health protection agency, CDC saves lives and protects people from health threats. To accomplish its mission, CDC conducts critical science and provides health information that protects our nation against expensive and dangerous health threats and responds when these arise.
The CDC's role includes:
- Detecting and responding to new and emerging health threats
- Tackling the biggest health problems causing death and disability for Americans
- Putting science and advanced technology into action to prevent disease
- Promoting healthy and safe behaviors, communities and environment
- Developing leaders and training the public health workforce, including disease detectives
- Taking the health pulse of our nation
About Public Health AmeriCorps
Public Health AmeriCorps is a $400 million investment, over five years, from the American Rescue Plan Act to support a partnership between CDC and AmeriCorps. The program is recruiting and building a workforce ready to respond to the public health needs of the nation and provide public health service in their own communities around the country.
The partnership is leveraging the expertise of both agencies, capitalizing on AmeriCorps' experience managing public service and workforce development programs, while benefitting from CDC's technical expertise as the country's leading public health agency.
Public Health AmeriCorps members are working across the country, helping to improve the health of communities. The program is opening the door of working in public health to a new generation, bringing new talent to conduct public health activities firsthand.
The program also supports President Biden's Executive Order (13996) on Establishing the COVID-19 Pandemic Testing Board and Ensuring a Sustainable Public Health Workforce for COVID-19 and Other Biological Threats - specifically Section 4. Establishing a Public Health Workforce Program, in which AmeriCorps was named.
While many of today's needs are related to the COVID-19 response, the program will also help communities address broader the public health needs of vulnerable communities that have been exposed and exacerbated by the pandemic. The program will build on expertise, best practices, and lessons learned from existing CDC, AmeriCorps, and other public health programs.
Who is Eligible for a Public Health AmeriCorps Award
Organizations that meet the AmeriCorps State and National eligibility criteria. Please see C.1. Eligible Applicants section in the Notice.
AmeriCorps Member Position Description
Public Health AmeriCorps members will help state, tribal, territory, county, and local public health agencies and nonprofit organizations meet the public health needs of communities, especially those that have been hard hit by COVID-19. AmeriCorps members cannot displace existing employees or volunteers.
Examples of roles that AmeriCorps member activities include:
- Community outreach
- Health education
- Mental health education and awareness, emotional regulation skill building
- Health and social services navigation
- Crisis response (e.g. COVID, Opioids, suicide, mental health)
- Capacity building
Desired Skills
Public Health AmeriCorps members should possess:
- a desire and ability to work with a diverse group of people, particularly those living in low-income and economically distressed neighborhoods;
- a willingness to learn and serve others;
- an ability to work independently and in a team environment successfully; and
- strong organizational, writing, and oral communication skills, and high attention to detail.
