AmeriCorps is similar to the PeaceCorps only the service hours are in the United States and members serve for one year. HealthCorps is a branch of AmeriCorps and the hours are served in federally qualified community health centers and the members have direct patient contact within the clinics. This is not a job so the people on the HealthCorps team are called “members”, not staff; they receive a “living allowance” not a wage and they do service hours, not work.
The benefits for being a full time member (35 hours per week) is a living allowance payment of $500.00 every two weeks (payroll taxes will be taken out of this amount), a free health insurance benefit for full time member (does not cover dependents) and child care benefit to those full time members who have children and are not receiving day care services through another program. If the full time member successfully competes the year of service they will receive an education award of $4,725 that can be used towards outstanding student loans or for future education expenses and the award is good for seven years. Members may apply for a second year of service if they were successful in their first year and can receive a second education award.
The benefits for being a part time member (20 hours per week) is a living allowance payment of $250.00e very two weeks (payroll taxes will be taken out of this amount), other benefits are not offered through the AmeriCorps program, however Cherry Street Health Services offers some services through the clinics to part time members. If the part time member successfully competes the year of service they will receive an education award of $2,362 that can be used towards outstanding student loans or for future education expenses and the award is good for seven years.
Cherry Street’s HealthCorps members generally serve Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Every Friday afternoons from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm are team meetings where we do training focusing on professionalism, interpersonal skills, cultural diversity and skill building. We also spend time on team building activities to help the group become cohesive and to build trust and respect. The team must do six service projects during the year. Service projects are generally done on Saturdays and are activities or events that benefit the community and/or the clinics we serve in. Some examples of past service projects are: various walks (AIDS, hospice, breast cancer, etc.), Camp O’Malley clean up, leaf raking in the fall for seniors, to name a few.
Cherry Street has thirteen clinics and there are AmeriCorps members at each site doing a variety of services – a short, abbreviated list is attached, there are more assignments than this.
To apply, either download an application from the AmeriCorps website, www.americorps.gov or you can go to 550 Cherry Street SE to the third floor receptionists or the front desk at 669 Stocking Avenue NW and ask for an AmeriCorps application.
To date, nearly 2,000 Community HealthCorps have provided more than 2.95 million hours of community service through 68 community health centers with 137 center locations in 19 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. A year with the Community HealthCorps will make a lifetime of difference for you and in the communities served.
| "I have really made a difference at G.A. Carmichael Family Health Center
(Jackson, MS). Something as simple as an appointment reminder call makes a difference in a patient's life. Patients do forget and calling them shows that the health center cares about their well-being. HealthCorps helped me get real work experience and is a huge difference from so many entry-level jobs. The program is useful as a way to gain experience in the health care field." -Marlowe Drain, HealthCorps member, Mississippi Primary Health Care Association |
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