Somos Salud VISTA -- Familias en Acción

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Recruiting Organization: Oregon Health Authority AmeriCorps VISTA Partnership Project

What is AmeriCorps VISTA?

AmeriCorps VISTA is the national service program designed specifically to fight poverty. Founded as Volunteers in Service to America in 1965 and incorporated into the AmeriCorps network of programs in 1993, VISTA has been on the front lines in the fight against poverty in America for more than 50 years.

About the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) AmeriCorps VISTA Public Health Partnership Project:

The Oregon Health Authority AmeriCorps VISTA Partnership Project aims to alleviate, prevent, and reduce poverty by engaging public health professionals in a year of full-time service in major public health organizations to create or expand public health systems capacity. We reduce poverty by building sustainable public health programs and systems that ensure health equity, community resiliency and improved health outcomes.

OHA AmeriCorps VISTA members serve full-time, forty hours per week in a capacity building role in statewide organizations, local public health departments, Tribal governments, or non-profits across the state of Oregon. Work is done in an indirect service and capacity building role in a professional office setting and there are many opportunities for training and professional development. AmeriCorps members at OHA focus their efforts on building the organizational, administrative, and financial capacity of organizations that improve public health services.

This position joins Oregon Health Authority’s statewide AmeriCorps VISTA team. In addition to activities at your individual site, members receive additional orientation, training throughout the year, team meetings, and the support of the team leaders and project director based at the state public health agency. Professional development opportunities include conferences, training about social determinants of health, equity, cross-sector partnership, and mentorship. For more information about the Oregon Health Authority AmeriCorps VISTA Partnership Project, visit: http://healthoregon.org/vista.

Selections are made on a rolling basis and early applications are strongly encouraged. The last day to submit an application is June 12, 2024.

About this position:

La misión de Familias en Acción (Familias) es Fortalecer la salud y el bienestar de las familias y comunidades latinas en Oregón.

While service provision is at the core of Familias en Acción services, we also engage in system-wide initiatives that address the root causes of health disparities, including poverty. We aim to change the structure that perpetuates poverty through our health education program that trains community leaders, so they can become certified Community Health Workers (CHW)s and gain employment.

In this role, the AmeriCorps VISTA will:

The Somos Salud VISTA will participate in the development of organizational infrastructure that will support the scale and expansion of CHWs in Oregon through a 90-hour CHW certification curriculum. This in turn will create workforce economic stability and drive the social change needed to influence the health and wellness of Latino/x/e populations in our state.

The member will advance the infrastructure at Familias en Acción to train and support Community Health Workers (CHWs) in Oregon. CHWs increase access to care, help communicate patients’ needs, and provide resources to address social determinants of health. CHW Certification is a requirement by the Oregon Health Authority and many health employers in Oregon, but there is a lack of culturally specific resources supporting Latinx in pursuing certification.

The VISTA member in this position would build capacity to train and support CHWs in Oregon.

The VISTA member will be fully integrated into Familias team of 20-25 staff and will attend any relevant professional development opportunities.

Highlights of the duties include:

• Develop and implement a community assessment to research the need of CHW certification and additional health education training and support in Spanish
• Conduct outreach campaign to CHWs who need assistance with maintaining certification or recertification
• Participate in CHW certification cohort and document toolkit with best practices to scale and expand training

About Portland Oregon:

Portland is Oregon’s cultural center. It is dense with independent movie theaters and art galleries. The exceptional public transit system makes it easy to get around the city without a car, whether you’re visiting a food cart pod or a public park.

With the innovative and equity driven work happening in Oregon, Portland is a wonderful place to explore a future in public health.

Stipend Provided

Training Provided

Housing AvailableFalse

Language/Cultral Support AvailableFalse

Wheelchair Accessible

Fee RequiredFalse

Fee Amount: None

This opportunity is recurring