The mission of App State's Public Health AmeriCorps is to foster meaningful relationships, develop public health professionals, and bolster community resilience and preparedness in western North Carolina by addressing local public health inequities through service, volunteerism, and evidence-based interventions.
Every day in communities across the country, AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers work directly with national, regional, or local nonprofit and community organizations to meet critical community needs.
Public Health AmeriCorps members will be leading the dissemination and implementation of Psychological First Aid (PFA) interventions to communities, organizations, and professionals.
Meeting Needs in Western North Carolina
In the Appalachian Mountains of Western North Carolina, local health departments have identified a major need for mental health interventions to support health preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery:
- 72% of children in NC with diagnosed behavior conditions have not met with a licensed mental health provider
- Western NC saw suicide rates double from 2014-2018
- 10-24 year olds in western NC are at a 30% higher risk of suicide and 65 and older have a 22% higher risk
- 1,398 suicides occurred during 2014-2018, 80.5% were male and 72.9% were white or caucasian
- 19.7 is the average age of suicide
Services will be provided across 25 different counties in western North Carolina: Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Cherokee, Clay, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, Yancey.
Are you an App State alumni interested in Public Health AmeriCorps? Visit our Public Health AmeriCorps App State Alumni website (requires Google login)!
$1 million grant funds App State’s Public Health AmeriCorps program
Fueled by a three-year, $1 million grant, Appalachian State University is implementing a Public Health AmeriCorps program to enhance public health preparedness and mental health training, resources and support in 25 rural Western North Carolina counties.
AmeriCorps is a federal agency that brings people together to tackle the country’s most pressing challenges through national service and volunteering. AmeriCorps members and volunteers serve with organizations dedicated to the improvement of communities. Public Health AmeriCorps is a new initiative made possible through a partnership between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and AmeriCorps, with funding from the American Rescue Plan Act. The program supports efforts to build a strong and diverse workforce that is ready to respond to the nation’s public health needs. Read more.
The Public Health AmeriCorps program is supported by a grant from the North Carolina Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service in the Office of Governor Roy Cooper.
Google Document
Learn more about the background, mission and goals of App State's Public Health AmeriCorps, as well as how to become a member or volunteer.
Career Development Center
Explore service year options after graduation, including opportunities with AmeriCorps programs.