AmeriCorps, CDC award nearly $2M to Virginia for public health workforce, mental health

Virginia will receive $1,935,757 in Public Health funding from AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The funding for Virginia will go toward building the capacity of the public health workforce and bolstering efforts relating to mental health, chronic disease prevention and public health readiness. Through the funding, Public Health AmeriCorps members will continue to gain experience in the public health field while supporting local health efforts and community-based organizations.

U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, both of Virginia announced the funding today.

“AmeriCorps members across Virginia work hard to create positive change for the communities they serve,” Warner and Kaine said. “This federal funding will allow volunteers to continue their important work of addressing some of the Commonwealth’s biggest health care needs.”

The funding is broken down as follows:

• Volunteers of America, Inc. in Alexandria, VA will receive $432,000 in funding to continue supporting 16 AmeriCorps members;
• The City of Richmond will receive $431,317 in in funding to continue supporting 16 AmeriCorps members;
• Catholic Charities USA in Alexandria, VA will receive $314,306 in funding to continue supporting 14 AmeriCorps members;
• Blue Ridge Medical Center in Nelson County, VA will receive $312,659 in funding to continue supporting 34 AmeriCorps members;
• Boat People SOS, Inc. in Falls Church, VA will receive $226,797 in funding to continue supporting 12 AmeriCorps members;
• The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research in Danville, VA will receive $218,678 in funding to continue supporting 15 AmeriCorps members.

Since the launch of Public Health AmeriCorps in 2021, more than 4,700 AmeriCorps members have added much-needed capacity to health departments, community-based organizations, schools and more. The partnership has capitalized on AmeriCorps’ people power and infrastructure and leveraged the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s technical expertise as the country’s leading public health agency to address communities’ most pressing public health challenges and create new pathways to public-health related careers.