Public Health AmeriCorps members set to get $3m boost
Phoenix, Arizona: Five Arizona organizations are set to receive over $3 million to bolster the state's public health workforce. US Senators Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema announced that $3,369,176 will support 359 Public Health AmeriCorps members in Arizona.
This funding, part of the FY2024 Public Health AmeriCorps continuation funding opportunity, aims to strengthen essential healthcare services, particularly in chronic disease prevention, mental health, and public health readiness.
In addition to the primary funding, $924,522.90 has been allocated for the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award. This award provides financial support to AmeriCorps members after completing their service term, helping them pay off qualified student loans or cover educational expenses at eligible institutions.
AmeriCorps members, who serve between 300 and 1700 hours in sponsored programs, will significantly benefit from this funding. The initiative includes various programs such as Arizona State University's 'Enhancing the Public Health Response to Domestic Violence', which received $1,551,690 and an additional $424,990.65 for education awards. This program, featuring 175 AmeriCorps members, aims to enhance the ability of public health workers to respond to domestic violence across 11 states.
ASU also received $269,559 for the 'BE SAGE: COVID-19 Mitigation for Vulnerable Early Childcare' program, with $73,876.05 in education awards. This program will involve 58 AmeriCorps members working to support COVID-19 mitigation strategies in low-income populations attending Early Child Education sites.
Other recipients include West Valley Health Equity, which received $398,856 and $110,925 in education awards, Prescott College Inc's 'AZ Serve: Public Health Corps' program with $486,000 and $133,110 in education awards, and Northern Arizona University, which received $663,071 and $181,621.20 in education awards. These funds will support a range of public health initiatives across the state.