The Appalachian Public Health Innovation (APP-PHI) Corps program provides opportunities for people to make an intensive commitment to service. There are many opportunities for AmeriCorps service in North Carolina, and across the country throughout the year. These are great experiences for new and upcoming graduates to consider.
This program is available to all, without discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, religion, age, national origin, genetic information, disability, military status, familial status, political affiliation, or any other characteristic protected by law.
As an APP-PHI Corps member, you can gain new skills and experiences and you’ll also find tremendous satisfaction that comes from helping others. In addition, members who complete their service earn a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award as outlined here, to pay for college, graduate school, or to pay back qualified student loans; members who serve part-time receive a partial Award. Some AmeriCorps members may also receive a living allowance during their term of service.
Mission: To foster meaningful relationships, develop public health professionals and bolster community resilience and preparedness in western North Carolina by addressing local public health disparities through service, volunteerism, and evidence-based interventions.
Our Purpose: To support public health preparedness in the Appalachian Region in Western NC.
Our Goals: To recruit, train, and develop new generations of public health leaders ready to respond to public health needs through public health service and capacity building in North Carolina’s rural Appalachian communities. Help meet public health needs of the North Carolina rural Appalachian communities by providing needed capacity and support to local public health preparedness settings in collaboration with state and regional partners, to advance health outcomes for communities who are currently and historically underserved.
Provide pathways to good quality public health-related careers by providing exposure through onsite experience, training, and more, with a focus on recruiting AmeriCorps members who reflect the communities in which they will serve.
Appalachian State University’s Mission
Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives as engaged global citizens who understand their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all. Our location in the distinctive Appalachian mountain town of Boone, North Carolina, profoundly shapes who we are. As a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina, we fulfill our core academic missions of teaching, scholarship, and service in ways that honor our geography and heritage.
We bring people together in inspiring ways. The transformational Appalachian experience develops individuals who are eager to acquire and create knowledge, to grow holistically, to act with passion and determination, to embrace difference, and to become contributing members of society.
We create rich environments where students can thrive. Our students are educated broadly and are simultaneously equipped with strong disciplinary knowledge. Academic learning occurs in a wide range of undergraduate, selected masters and intermediate programs, and the doctorate in Education offered on campus, at off campus sites, and online.
Faculty and students engage in research and scholarship that advance knowledge and address the problems of our region, state, and world through creativity and innovation. Learning takes place within formal and informal instructional settings with dedicated faculty members, in co curricular programs that enrich classroom experience, in interdisciplinary educational formats, and through outreach to the local community and beyond. Appalachian cultivates vibrant arts that enrich the cultural and intellectual climate of the campus and region.
Our students think critically, communicate effectively, make local to global connections, and understand the responsibilities of community engagement. We embrace our obligation to help create healthy, just, and sustainable societies by equipping our students to live with knowledge, compassion, dedication, humility, and dignity.
Program Description
As an APP-PHI Corps Member at Appalachian State University, you will be part of a dedicated team focused on enhancing public health and community resilience in Western North Carolina. Our mission is to develop public health professionals, foster meaningful relationships, and bolster community preparedness by addressing local public health disparities through service, volunteerism, and evidence-based interventions.
Our Purpose: We aim to support public health preparedness in the Appalachian Region of Western North Carolina.
Our Goals:
- Develop Future Public Health Leaders: We recruit, train, and develop new generations of public health leaders equipped to respond to public health needs in North Carolina’s rural Appalachian communities. This involves capacity building and service in collaboration with state and regional partners to achieve better health outcomes for underserved communities.
- Enhance Community Capacity and Support: By providing essential capacity and support to local public health preparedness settings, we help meet the public health needs of North Carolina’s rural Appalachian communities.
- Create Pathways to Public Health Careers: We offer exposure to high-quality public health-related careers through onsite experience and training. This includes psychological first aid training, with a particular focus on recruiting AmeriCorps members who reflect the communities they serve.
Appalachian Public Health Innovation Corps was created as a partnership between the CDC and AmeriCorps funded by the American Rescue Plan Act. Through this partnership we contribute to building a strong workforce ready to meet the nation’s public health needs.
This project launched in 2022, Appalachian Public Health Innovation Corps addresses public health needs across 25 Western North Carolina counties. Our goals include career pathways and training and providing public health support. We provide pathways to quality public health careers through on-site experience and comprehensive training programs, including psychological first aid. Providing Public Health Support: We deliver Psychological First Aid and other necessary public health support to local organizations, such as health departments, long-term care facilities, and hospitals. A core aspect of our work is engaging with community members to build resilience and trust. By connecting with the community, we identify their needs and provide the support they require, fostering stronger, healthier communities in Western North Carolina.
Benefits:
- Living Stipend Provided to 3/4 Time Members
- Additional incentive for non Full-Time or 3/4 Time Members depending on funding availability and at the discretion of Program Director
- Education Award
- Child care benefits for those who are eligible
- Travel reimbursement specifically related to program activities (additional details in the APP-PHI Corps Handbook)
- Professional Development Opportunities
- Member Assistance Program, which includes:
- 24/7 unlimited telephonic counseling services
- Text/Chat Counseling & Coaching
- Video Counseling & Coaching
- Up to six face-to-face counseling sessions
- Medical Advocacy
- Life Coaching
- Personal Concierge for Everyday Needs
- Work/Life Resources & Referrals
- Legal and Financial Assistance (30-minute free consultations)
- AmeriCorps partners with more than 300 colleges and universities to offer benefits to AmeriCorps alumni. Five of these schools—Washington University, Emory University, University of Pittsburgh, Case Western Reserve University, and Thomas Jefferson University—offer AmeriCorps scholarships specifically for public health-related programs!
- Graduate School Application Waiver (While funding lasts!)
- Student Loan Forbearance
What Can This Do For You?
- Provide a gateway to the public health profession
- Continuous education and training
- Practice based experience in rural health
- Public health preparedness leadership
- Community health experience
Service Position Summary
The essential functions of an Appalachian Public Health Innovation (APP-PHI) Corps Member involve a combination of community-based service, professional development, and specialized project support. These duties include:
Core Required Responsibilities
Members must perform the following basic duties as part of their service:
- Active Participation: Showing up and participating to ensure a rich learning and service experience
- Training and Service: Participating in mandatory training sessions and various service activities
- Project Contribution: Contributing to both team projects and individual initiatives
- Professional Development: Engaging in vocational training and professional development opportunities to grow as a public health leader
Public Health Support and Community Engagement
A primary function of the role is to bolster community resilience in Western North Carolina through:
- Psychological First Aid (PFA): Delivering PFA and other necessary support to local organizations like health departments, hospitals, and long-term care facilities
- Community Relationship Building: Engaging directly with community members to build trust, identify local needs, and provide required support
- Service and Intervention: Addressing local health disparities through evidence-based interventions and volunteerism
Specialized Pillar Functions
Depending on their specific role or “pillar,” members may perform more targeted tasks:
- Implementation: Disseminating PFA training and engaging with community partners across 25 Western NC counties
- Communication: Managing digital communications, developing professional materials, and fostering communication between stakeholders and the community
- Evaluation: Guiding the evaluation of project progress, collecting and analyzing data for reporting and improvement, and creating infographics or reports to communicate outcomes
- Team Engagement: Organizing social programming, coordinating training development, and fostering collaboration among team members
Leadership and Coordination
Members may also take on additional leadership duties, such as:
- Leading program pillars or implementing specific interventions
- Training community members and collaborating with external partners
- Supporting fellow members by tracking their progress, representing their interests to leadership, and assisting with their training and projects
Commitment Required
- Members will complete various hours of service over the course of 11 months based on the start and end date of September 1st, 2026 – August 1st, 2027.
- Member hours commitments are dependent upon the position
- Members will be expected to work a schedule that is agreed upon between both the program director and the member. Hours will not exceed 10 hours per day, more than 5 days per week, and more than 40 hours per week, however some weekend and evening service could be required. If weekend or evening service is required, members can take off additional weekday time to prevent exceeding 40 hours per week. A schedule template is attached in this MSA, and will be discussed during initial check in.
The member will complete a minimum of hours of service during the term of service indicated in this position description:
- Full-Time Members must serve 1700 hours during a period of 11 months (155 hrs/month).
- Reduced Full-Time Members must serve 1200 hours during a period of 11 months (110 hrs/month).
- Half Time Members must serve at least 900 hours during a period of 11 months (82 hrs/month).
- Reduced Half-Time Members must serve at least 675 hours during a period of 11 months (62 hrs/month).
- Quarter-Time Members must serve at least 450 hours during a period of 11 months (41 hours/month).
- Minimum Time Members must serve at least 300 hours during a period of 11 months (28 hrs/month).
Necessary criminal history background checks Members must agree to conduct – National Sex Offender check, State criminal check, and FBI check and notification that selection for service in the AmeriCorps program is contingent upon the organization’s review of the NSCHC component results
