Community HealthCorps and Reach Out and Read

1. Community HealthCorps and Reach Out and Read How HealthCorps can enhance your ROR program Kate Dimpfl Community HealthCorps Program Officer June 2, 2005 ROR Conference

2. What is the Community HealthCorps? Community HealthCorps consists of two different programs with similar missions. Both VISTA and AmeriCorps HealthCorps members are placed in Community Health Centers (not-for-profit health centers located in low income communities with a mission to provide health care for the poor and medically underserved).

3. What is our mission? To improve health care access and enhance workforce development through VISTA, AmeriCorps and other service-based programs.

4. Where are we? Community HealthCorps is a program of the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), based in Bethesda MD (metro Washington DC) and operates at 36 sites in 18 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

5. Who are our members? • NACHC has over 650 AmeriCorps members nationally and 30 VISTA members in New York State. • HealthCorps members are recruited from both the local communities served by the health centers and nationally from those interested in providing a year of service in a community health center setting.

6. What are the Goals of the Community HealthCorps? • Increase access to primary and preventive care • Improve utilization of health care services • Provide community outreach and volunteer generation • Create long lasting-sustainable solutions to alleviate poverty in the communities in which we serve (VISTA). • Provide AmeriCorps members with training and resources to develop them into health care leaders of tomorrow

7. Structure of the HealthCorps AmeriCorps Program

8. Structure of Community HealthCorps*VISTA program

9. So…what is it that we can do for you? • Reach Out and Read programs around the country are partnering with NACHC’s Community HealthCorps program. • Members serve for 1-2 years at a ROR placement often acting as the “program coordinator” or “volunteer coordinator”.

10. What can HealthCorps members do? • AmeriCorps: Direct Service • Read to children in the waiting rooms (Acorps only) • Talk with parents about the importance of reading to their child (Acorps only) • Help parents find adult-ed courses (Acorps only) • Set up systems to track and manage books • Recruit, train and sustain volunteer readers • Develop partnerships for in-kind book donations • Provide “refresher courses” on the ROR model for providers • Coordinate literacy fairs, and other literacy related events • ACORPS MEMBERS CANNOT FUNDRAISE!

11. What can HealthCorps members do? • VISTA: Indirect Service • Fundraise for the program (VISTA only) • Set up systems to track and manage books • Recruit, train and sustain volunteer readers • Develop partnerships for in-kind book donations. • Provide “refresher courses” on the ROR model for providers • Coordinate literacy fairs, and other literacy related events • (VISTA MEMBERS CANNOT PERFORM DIRECT SERVICES)

12. Tangible Benefits: VISTA 365 days of service; 24/7 volunteer Living allowance based on cost of living of service area (~$10,500) Ed award ($4,725) or cash stipend ($1,200) Can serve up to 3 yrs. No part time job allowed Child Care Health Insurance Loan deferment and interest accrual Relocation allowance Tangible Benefits: AmeriCorps 1700 service hours completed in 9-12 months Standard living allowance for all AmeriCorps members nationwide ($10,200) Direct service Ed award only ($4,725) Can only serve 2 yrs. Can have another job and be in school while serving Health Insurance Child Care Loan deferment and interest accrual What do members get out of HealthCorps?

13. Intangible Benefits • AmeriCorps and VISTA: • Training on the Community HealthCorps 10 Core Competencies (Health Advocacy, Patient Relations, Professional Development, Cultural Competency, Civic Engagement, Health Outreach, Health Education, Emergency/Disaster Preparedness, Case Management, Primary Care Environment and for VISTAs only: Grant writing and Fundraising, and Program Development and Sustainability) • On-site orientation and training • Continuous on-site training (training opportunities at the Health Center) • Resume/skill building experience • Weekly supervision/mentorship from site supervisor and coordinator • Community Health Service Forum • Team/peer support network

14. What have HealthCorps ROR members accomplished? • In our New York State VISTA and two of our AmeriCorps programs we have: • Recruited over 250 volunteers this year who have served thousands of hours in the waiting rooms • Morris Height Health Center has 100% provider participation due to VISTAs efforts • VISTAs have raised over $25,000 in funds and solicited over $15,000 in in-kind donations • Developed and work within other adult and health literacy initiatives to work along side the ROR program

15. VISTA: Complete Project Plan and MOU Sites must provide a desk, phone and computer Pay transportation for members Provide daily supervision Assist with reporting and sign off on timesheets Pay roughly $5500/member ASSIST WITH RECRUITMENT AmeriCorps: Complete Project Plan and MOU Sites must provide a desk, phone and computer Provide daily supervision Assist with reporting and sign off on timesheets Pay roughly $5500/member ASSIST WITH RECRUITMENT Where do I get a HealthCorps member?

16. Who do I talk to about applying? There are 4 Community HealthCorps programs in the Greater New York area: AmeriCorps: Masha Feiguinova- Program Coordinator CHCANYS HealthCorps 212-279-9686 x844 americorps@chcanys.org GayathriChandran-Program Coordinator Lutheran Family Health Centers- Sunset Park Community HealthCorps 718-630-7164 GChandran@LMCMC.com

17. NaliniPurvis-Program Coordinator Hudson River Health Care (914) 734-9323 npurvis@hrhcare.org VISTA KateDimpfl-Program Officer NACHC-HealthCorps 212-279-9686 x662 kdimpfl@nachc.com OR RebekahGowler-VISTA Leader NACHC- HealthCorps 212-279-9686 x664 rgowler@nachc.com

18. Thank You! Thank you and we look forward to future partnerships with Reach Out and Read programs of Greater New York!