Rural Health Corps

The AmeriCorps Program is a national service movement that mobilizes over 200,000 members and volunteers across 35,000 locations each year to positively impact their communities. In August 2024, the Arkansas Rural Health Partnership became a formal AmeriCorps Program site, expanding local service engagement opportunities for individuals (typically young persons, age 18-24 years) across rural Arkansas. In the inaugural year, the local ARHP AmeriCorps Program (Rural Health Corps) will recruit, train, and mobilize 20 individuals to serve as AmeriCorps Members at hospital and health center partners spanning rural Arkansas.The AmeriCorps Mission:To improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering.

2024-2025 Rural Health Corps Focus

• Promote the health and wellbeing of rural Arkansas residents to achieve better outcomes and foster a more equitable health system.
• Address social determinants of health needs in rural residents through assessment, navigation, enrollment & assistance services, advocacy, education, and care coordination.

Eligibility & Requirements

• No prior service or experience required
• Interested individuals must be at least 18 years of age.
• Must be able to commit 25-30 hours per week to service activities throughout the service year (not to exceed 1,200 total hours).

Rural Health Corps Member Benefits

• Leadership and soft skills training.• Highly sought after healthcare-related training & certifications (including, but not limited to HIPAA, Basic Life Support, Mental Health First Aid, Community Health Worker and more). Skills related to conducting social determinants of health screenings and providing tailored support, in addition to patient navigation, health equity, and understanding of the rural health landscape (including safety net providers, challenges & opportunities).
• Ongoing support from an experienced & dedicated AmeriCorps Supervisor.
• Hands-on experience in effective communication skills, engaging challenging populations, outreach to target populations, conducting patient interviews, data collection, and reporting success to supervisors and partners.
• Living allowance paid biweekly.
• Education Award (valued at over $5,000) at completion of service year. Can be utilized at any technical school, college or university.
• Potential future job opportunities with ARHP and its members (23 members and growing).

What can I expect my AmeriCorps service year to look like?

As a Rural Health Corps Member, you will gain valuable skills, training, and experience in a mission-driven, forward-thinking, and well-known nonprofit organization. You will be exposed to countless first-hand experiences with rural residents and help serve as a bridge for individuals with need to locally available resources.Your AmeriCorps service year with the Arkansas Rural Health Partnership will make your resume stand out and present unique opportunities for employment throughout your professional career in healthcare and beyond.