DeLauro Announces $1.87 Million For Public Health AmeriCorps Grants In Middletown and Waterbury

Today, House Appropriations Committee Chair Rosa DeLauroannounced that Middletown's Community Health Center and Waterbury's Health360 will receive a total of $1,870,622 in Public Health AmeriCorps funding.

Public Health AmeriCorps, a partnership between AmeriCorps and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), supports the recruitment, training, and development of a new generation of public health leaders. Supported by a five-year, $400 million investment from the American Rescue Plan Act, Public Health AmeriCorps will help meet public health needs of local communities by providing surge capacity and support while also creating pathways to public health-related careers.

"The public health workforce has been pushed to the limit by COVID-19, doing heroic work under devastating circumstances" said Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro. "We know barriers to healthcare access and the mental health crisis throughout the pandemic were exacerbated in our state and around the country. The American Rescue Plan funding for Public Health AmeriCorps projects announced today will help increase health knowledge and improve access to care through Community Health Center Inc.'s Healthy Communities program and Health360's Health Minds Alliance program will address local mental health needs. This initiative will create a pipeline for public health workers and will raise the overall quality of care, capacity, and public health safety in Connecticut. AmeriCorps remains a pillar in our state services, and I am proud we were able to secure these funds to sustain such a valuable program that has made a tangible impact in rebuilding our communities and neighborhoods hit hard by COVID-19. This investment will mobilize volunteers and workers and gives us the tools we need to continue helping us get through the pandemic."

"Last year, over 2,000 AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers supported more than 300 sites across Connecticut. This new Public Health AmeriCorps investment will continue to grow the meaningful work already in motion," said AmeriCorps CEO, Michael D. Smith. "I look forward to continuing to work with House Appropriations Committee Chair Rosa DeLauro and our new grantees to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and social determinants of health in diverse communities across the country."

"Community Health Center, Inc. is so appreciative of Rep. DeLauro's efforts to secure 15 AmeriCorps workers to help meet the needs of our patients at this critical time," said Community Health Center Founder Mark Masselli. "We will deploy the AmeriCorps team to our sites across Connecticut to address diabetes prevention, access to behavioral health services, and health equity for vulnerable populations."

"Health360 is excited to announce that we've been selected by AmeriCorps and CDC as a Public Health AmeriCorps grantee!" said Executive Director of Health360 Tricia Harrity. "We're thrilled to expand the impact of the Healthy Minds Alliance program, harnessing the power of national service to address critical mental health issues facing communities across the country while building the public health workforce."

Individual awards are listed below:

Community Health Center, Inc.: $432,000 for Healthy Communities; 15 full-time AmeriCorps members will participate in various activities related to outreach, education, linkage to care, retention in care, COVID-19 vaccination, and engagement in healthcare and support services across community-based sites in Connecticut. AmeriCorps members will support increased health knowledge and improve access to care among individuals in the communities served.

Health360: $1,438,622 for Health Minds Alliance;50 full-time AmeriCorps members will implement select mental health gatekeeper trainings that increase the ability of laypeople to identify and support people with mental illness.

In addition to the grants announced today, AmeriCorps will also provide up to $422,175 each year in education scholarships for the Public Health AmeriCorps members supported by this award to help pay for college, vocational training, or pay back student loans.

Grantees are actively recruiting adults of all ages and education backgrounds to serve in Public Health AmeriCorps. Public Health AmeriCorps members may be eligible to receive a living allowance, professional development, health and childcare support, and an education award. Those interested in joining Public Health AmeriCorps can learn more at AmeriCorps.gov/PublicHealth.

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