Delaware

County Executive Meyer announces start of National Health Corps Community Health Fellowship Program

New Castle, DE – New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer announces the launch National Health Corps (NHC): Community Health Fellowship and invites nonprofits and New Castle County residents to learn about the 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). 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.

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, in local communities 
• 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 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

NHC Delaware: Community Health Fellowship program welcomes people with all different interests and future goals. The most important quality in an NHC member is a readiness to bring the best they have to offer - their creativity, energy, enthusiasm, and readiness to learn - to serving their communities.

NHC members also need to meet certain eligibility criteria. These include:

• Members must be at least 18 years of age by the start of service
• Members must be U.S. Citizens, U.S. nationals, or lawful permanent residents
• Members must have achieved a high school diploma or GED by the start of service
• Members must be current residents of New Castle County, Delaware
• Members must not have previously served four AmeriCorps State or National terms

Corps Members will commit to35+-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.

All 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.

NHC Delaware: Community Health Fellowship also welcomes inquiries and Host Site Applications from 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations who would like to partner by hosting an NHC Member in a full-time, unique, direct service community health position, where they will apply their training, while contributing to critical unmet needs with your target population, and within your mission.

Like the 2021 pilot NHC program, the NHC: Community Health Fellowship places its AmeriCorps members in local, public health nonprofits to fulfill unique positions. Previous roles have included those such as COVID-19 Responder, Care Coordinator, Case Manager, Health Educator, Outreach Coordinator, and Patient Navigator.

Pilot Program Host Site Organizations Included:

• Christiana Care Healthcare System
• Food Bank of Delaware
• Lutheran Community Services
• Westside Family Healthcare

TO APPLY

To Apply as an AmeriCorps candidate for the full-time positions with local nonprofits, please click here:

Learn More about National Health Corps

Learn about the NHC-DE Community Health Fellowship

Apply to the NHC-DE Community Health Fellowship

To apply as a Host Site Organization, please use these links to provide required information and contact Program Director Shantel Love at: 

Shantel.Love@newcastlede.gov 

NHC - DE Host Site Application

NHC - DE Position Description Template