Program Components

Youth Health Service Corps

The YHSC program partners with high schools across Southwestern CT to provide career guidance and service opportunities to future health professionals. Each week, students learn about different health or healthcare topics, including college and career opportunities. Several times throughout the year, students participate in service projects through partnerships with community and medical organizations. Upon completion of academic and service requirements, participants are presented with a certificate recognizing their dedication.

Goals

1. Learn about public health and today’s critical health challenges
2. Expose students to a variety of health careers
3. Prepare students for life after school to allow them to thrive in whichever path they follow
4. Expose students to hands-on experiences with a focus on health topics and health careers

Public Health Ambassadors

The PHA program is a 45-60 minute presentation for high school students interested in learning about the field of public health. We begin the program by introducing public health and end with an exploration of educational and career opportunities for anyone interested in pursuing a public health career. The purpose of PHA is to expose students to everything that is done to prevent and protect populations from disease, disasters, and injury and to promote good health. We hope to not only educate students on public health, but to inspire them to become future health practitioners!

Key Concepts

1. Public Health vs Medical Care
2. Public Health Achievements
3. Threats to Public Health
4. Public Health Workforce Development and Career Opportunities

Collegiate Health Service Corps

The CHSC program serves to enrich the experience of college students interested in service and connecting with their community. Unlike our other programs, this is not only for future health professionals; rather, any student passionate about service may join CHSC. Through hands-on experiences and training sessions both on and off campus, students are able to explore their interests in community, healthcare, and service overall. CHSC students are empowered with a platform to organize projects and events related to their own passions. Upon completion of service requirements, participants are presented with a certificate recognizing their dedication.

Goals

1. Students understand and can explain the importance of service and the variety of service opportunities available
2. Students will become confident communicators in all settings, large and small, public and private
3. Students will be able to coordinate relationships among academic personnel, students, community partners, and service recipients
4. Students will be aware of the career advancement opportunities available to them through the National Health Service Corps (NHSC)

Community-Based Experiential Training

Community-based experiential training programs connect health profession students with community organizations, giving these individuals firsthand experience interacting with different populations. Completion of a CBET program allows future health professionals to better understand the real-life experiences of these populations, and to be more prepared to treat these populations in their roles as healthcare providers.

CBET – STRIVE Program

The STRIVE program is a comprehensive transition program that provides services to Stratford’s young adults with disabilities who have completed their academic requirements. Eligible students participate in a twenty hour per week program which includes: on site activities, on-the-job training, prevocational skills assessment, and career experiences. The primary goal of the STRIVE transition program is to build capacity and transition Stratford’s young adults into all aspects of the community.

To complete this CBET, health profession students are placed at the STRIVE program for a multi-week commitment. Through a combination of didactic and clinical approaches, students work on skills which benefit all patients such as non-verbal communication, teamwork, and public speaking. Students emerge as confident and competent communicators. Activities each week on various health-related topics (hygiene, nutrition, stress and coping, etc.) serve as a way for the students to assess knowledge barriers present in the STRIVE group. Direct face time with STRIVE also provides insight into problems faced by the STRIVE participants in their lives.

Goals

1. Students will gain valuable experience working with populations with disabilities

2. Students will be comfortable adapting medical procedures for patients with developmental disabilities
3. Students will be comfortable making communication adjustments to better connect with their patients
4. Students will present a project and develop a plan of how they will use what they have learned in this experience in their field of work
5. Students will emerge as more confident and competent healthcare professionals

HealthForward AmeriCorps

HealthForward AmeriCorps members serve full-time at one of the five centers that comprise the CT AHEC Network.  AmeriCorps members engage high school, college and health professional students in select service-learning programs, including the Youth Health Service Corps, Collegiate Health Service Corps, and Field Placements.

HealthForward AmeriCorps Members: 

• Gain experience in health care delivery.
• Impact pressing health needs in communities across Connecticut.
• Build their resume and/or application for health professions programs. 

To apply to become a HealthForward AmeriCorps Program Member please send resumes to Andrew Oravecz, HealthForward Program Director: oravecz@health360 

CT DPH Immunization Program 

CT Immunization Action Plan Program

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