Public Health AmeriCorps

Make Your Mark

AmeriCorps and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have joined forces through Public Health AmeriCorps. Together, we are supporting 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.

Public Health AmeriCorps has two main goals:

Address public health needs of local communities by providing support in state and local public health settings and advancing more equitable health outcomes for underserved communities.
Create pathways to good quality public health-related careers through onsite experience and training, with a focus on recruiting AmeriCorps members who reflect the communities in which they will serve.

Apply today

Your Path To Public Health

From the back office to the frontlines, there’s a place for you with Public Health AmeriCorps.

Find an opportunity to serve

Serving with Public Health AmeriCorps

Learn more about the requirements for and benefits of serving with Public Health AmeriCorps and explore programmatic resources.

Benefits

Whether you’re looking for a way to spend a gap year or gain post-graduate experience, you can help address the public health needs of local communities across the nation. Build your public health resume and gain valuable benefits to kickstart your career.

Benefits

Education award (applicable to higher education or student loan forgiveness)
Student loan deferment / forbearance
Living allowance
Hands-on experience
Training from experts

Project Focus Areas

Health equity and social determinants of health
COVID-19 recovery, testing, and vaccination support
Access to services and reducing barriers to care
Behavioral health (mental health and substance use disorder)

Activities

Health education and training
Community outreach and engagement
System navigation, referrals, and linkage to care
Research, data collection, analysis, and assessments

Eligibility

To serve in Public Health AmeriCorps, you must:

be 17 years or older (no upper age limit)
be a U.S. citizen, U.S. National, or Lawful Permanent Resident Alien

Resources

Public Health AmeriCorps Program Library

Public Health AmeriCorps Toolkit

PublicHealthCareers.Org

CDC Train

AmeriCorps’ Role in Public Health

AmeriCorps has a long history of members serving in public health roles:

AmeriCorps members have served as recovery coaches to help individuals overcome opioid addiction, provide drug abuse prevention and education, build the capacity of drug treatment and recovery organizations, support safe disposal of prescription drugs, improve opportunities for employment for those in recovery, provide substance abuse screening and assessments, and more. In 2020, the Office of National Drug Control Policy formally designated AmeriCorps as part of the National Drug Control Strategy and Budget, an important milestone and recognition of the value of our work.
AmeriCorps partners with health departments, nonprofits, and community-based organizations through which AmeriCorps members serve in roles related to healthcare access, health and housing, substance use, health promotion, community engagement, emergency management, and more.
AmeriCorps members serve in public health and clinical settings where they provide education, strengthen access, and expand capacity related to healthcare and social services.