Community HealthCorps (CHC), a national AmeriCorps program, opened in Maryland in 2011 under Community Health Integrated Partnership, a nonprofit Health Center Controlled Network. The mission of CHC is to improve the access and quality of healthcare for low-income, uninsured adults and children while simultaneously developing the health care workforce of tomorrow. Since opening in Maryland just two years ago, the program has doubled in size and helped 6 Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC's) to expand their primary care services to an additional 2,100 low-income individuals and children.

CHC does this by placing dynamic service leaders, called Navigators, for an 11 month service term, in local community-based health centers where they help to increase and enhance the services provided to disconnected health populations. Among their many accomplishments, CHC Navigators have created healthy lifestyle programs for clients struggling with obesity and diabetes, initiated programs for expectant young mothers, and developed sustainable organizational practices that health centers use to assist clients in locating community health resources (See attached file to the right for client story).

During the 2012-2013 program year, the 8 CHC Navigators enrolled over 1,311 clients in health insurance or sliding fee scale programs, 390 adults in healthy lifestyles programs, and 649 clients in oral health programs. They also provided health education for over 1,108 clients, financial counseling for 1,238 clients, case management to 958 patients, interpretation services for 471 Spanish speaking clients, nutrition counseling for 106 patients, physical education activities for over 162 children, and prenatal/parenting education for 375 clients. Many of these health centers would simply not be able to reach these clients or provide these services without the efforts of the Community HealthCorps Navigators.

While serving at their sites, Navigators develop and implement multiple community health outreach projects designed to engage volunteers across Maryland. During the 2012-2013 program year, Navigators taught health education classes to veterans at the Maryland Center for Veterans Education and Training, conducted 5 health fairs across Baltimore, and coordinated a “Be Healthy” exercise fair with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington (See link below). These efforts helped to engage over 102 volunteers in service within their community.

In addition to supporting clients and generating volunteers, Navigators also meet monthly to receive high-level training from local healthcare professionals in the medical field, public policy arena, and community development sector. Through these trainings, Navigators learn valuable lessons that they then apply to their future careers in health as doctors, social workers, and public health professionals.

Community HealthCorps is an extraordinary program. As one health center site supervisor stated "their Navigators operate at the highest level, bringing proactive solutions to complex health challenges and offering empathetic and action-oriented service to our clients. They don’t just try to make a difference, they achieve real community impact." By preparing the healthcare leaders of tomorrow to face today’s difficult health challenges, Community HealthCorps ensures that their members will have a lasting impact on the landscape of community health for years to come.

Boys & Girls Clubs Story http://www.gazette.net/article/20130515/NEWS/130519673/0/gazette&template=gazette