As announced in the 2021 State of the State Address, the establishment of the NYSPHC will build public health capacity to support COVID-19 vaccination operations and increase preparedness to respond to future public health emergencies in localities across the state. The State directed the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) to work with community partners to recruit and deploy Fellows to be assigned in communities across New York State (NYS).

 Goals of the NYS Public Health Corps

• Bolster the state’s public health infrastructure by mobilizing up to 200 Public Health Fellows across the State to provide critical support and services to local health departments (LHDs), New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) Offices, and community-based organizations.
• Effectively communicate with and educate New Yorkers about key strategies that address public health efforts.
• Facilitate connections among the community level public health stakeholders required to strengthen and sustain public health learning and action partnerships

Mission of the NYS Public Health Corps 

The New York State Public Health Corps Fellowship Program provides professional development opportunities to enhance and apply public health knowledge through training, education, and mentorship, which expands Fellows' public health networks throughout their communities.

Vision of the NYS Public Health Corps 

Build a robust, diverse, equipped, and dedicated public health workforce that represents the various communities that comprise the State of New York. 

Shape a workforce that is aware of the intricacies of systems thinking and the necessity of community collaboration and uses the strengths of the community to achieve health equity. 

NYSPHC Fellows are being mobilized across NYS and placed within host organizations which include Local Health Departments (LHDs), New York State Department of Health or community-based organizations (CBOs) for two-year placements. Talented individuals who may have expertise in public health, medicine, and/or emergency management are recruited, screened, and trained to serve as NYSPHC Fellows. NYSPHC Fellows are concurrently enrolled in Cornell University’s Public Health Essentials Certificate Program, the Building Expertise in Administration and Management (BEAM) Certificate Program developed and delivered by University of Miami, and will also complete several trainings offered by NYSDOH and other public health experts. Participants’ qualifications and experience will determine their program placement as either a Fellow I, II, or III.

Types of Fellows

• Fellow I will have at least one of the following: 
  • One year of experience within a health, public health, education, human services, community-based organization, or institutional setting
  • One year of experience in administrative, personnel, fiscal, or other related operational activity
  • Associate’s degree
  • AND a current Fellow for less than one year by June 30, 2024, for LHD or CBO Fellows or July 31, 2024, for NYSDOH Fellows.
• Fellow II will have at least one of the following: 
  • Two years of experience within a health, public health, education, human services, community-based organization, or institutional setting
  • Two years of experience in administrative, personnel, fiscal, or other related operational activity
  • Bachelor’s degree
  • AND a current Fellow for less than one year by June 30, 2024, for LHD or CBO Fellows or July 31, 2024, for NYSDOH Fellows.
• Fellow III will have at least one of the following: 
  • Three years of experience within a health, public health, education, human services, community-based organization, or institutional setting
  • Three years of experience in administrative, personnel, fiscal, or other related operational activity
  • Master’s degree
  • AND a current Fellow for less than one year by June 30, 2024, for LHD or CBO Fellows or July 31, 2024, for NYSDOH Fellows.

Mentors are partnered with NYSPHC Fellows placed at the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), NYSDOH Regional Offices, Local Health Departments (LHDs) and Community-Based Organizations (CBOs). Mentors serve as professional role models and technical advisors, facilitating peer learning and providing relevant mentoring, career planning and navigational support to Fellows, enhancing their experience within the local and statewide public health landscape and the NYSPHC Fellowship program.  

The NYSPHC Fellowship Program will be utilizing a cohort style of mentoring with the expectation of Mentors leading between 4-8 NYSPHC Fellows for up to two years. Cohorts will be determined by pairing Fellows with a Mentor(s) whose experience, skillset and knowledge are similar to a Fellow’s current Fellowship project, experience, and interests. Cohorts will be regionally based pending availability; however, Mentors may have Fellows located throughout the state. Mentors may have the opportunity to co-lead a cohort. 

Mentors are expected to be aware of and discuss Fellow progress in the required Cornell Public Health Essentials Certificate Program and the Building Expertise in Administration and Management (BEAM) Certificate Program.

If you have questions about becoming a Mentor, would like to be a Mentor or refer a Mentor, please use the Mentor Nomination form.

The NYSPHC Fellowship Program placements may be at the New York State Department of Health, Local Health Departments (LHDs), or community-based organizations (CBOs), referred to as "Host Organizations." Fellows will be screened, hired, and trained by host organizations who will directly supervise the day-to-day activities of the Fellows.

The goal of Consortia Meetings is to bring Fellows, Supervisors, host organization staff, and Mentors together to collectively enhance the public health infrastructure at host organizations through collaboration and networking. Consortia Meetings will be facilitated by Fellowship Placement Coordinators and Fellowship Program Specialists and be centered around networking, spotlights of Fellows and their projects, discussion, and interactive activities.

Consortia Meeting Schedule:

• NYSPHC Consortium - September 11, 2024   This session was not recorded
  - Dr. Gen Meredith leads a Leadership Compass Activity to learn about leadership and communication in public health practice.
  Slides | Activity Worksheet |Leadership Growth Summary | What is your leadership style? | 
• December 11th, 2024
• March 12th, 2025
• September 10th, 2025
• December 10th, 2025
• March 11th, 2026

The NYSPHC Fellowship Summit provides an opportunity for Fellows to expand the breadth and depth of their public health knowledge. Additionally, the Summit will provide an opportunity for Fellows to engage with peer Fellows, Regional Teams, and Mentors from across the state to learn about the unique efforts being carried out in each region. Through delivery of information from keynote and plenary speakers, professional development opportunities, peer-to-peer experience sharing and networking, panel presentations, poster presentations, and focused public health workshops, the Fellows can take new skills and knowledge back into the field and support efforts to improve health outcomes for New Yorkers.  

The 2023 NYSPHC Fellowship Summit brought together approximately 500 Fellows, along with local coordinators, supervisors, mentors, and other public health partners, from across the state to one forum where program successes were shared and innovative public health programs, policies, and community outreach efforts were presented and discussed. This Summit supported collaboration and knowledge sharing as well as provided networking opportunities for Fellows as they prepare for the next step in their public health careers. 

Summit 2025 will take place June 10th and 11th, 2025, at the Albany Capital Center, with the theme of “Your Fellowship Journey: Building the Foundation of a Public Health Career Through Learning and Practice.”

In order to support the NYSPHC mission and to enhance the NYSPHC Fellow’s experience, stakeholders in counties’ public health networks, including higher education institutions, were organized in working groups for the purpose of identifying and recruiting mentors, offering professional learning opportunities and sharing best practices from the field of public health.

IHE Workgroup

The goal of the Institutions for Higher Education (IHE) Workgroup was to improve the NYSPHC Fellowship experience by consulting with IHE Faculty and staff through their knowledge and expertise. Workgroup members were divided into subgroups based on the three core pillars of the NYSPHC fellowship program:

Promote - facilitate connections between the Fellowship Program and IHE departments to assist and advise on resources and mechanisms for effective program promotion through the lens of higher education.

Connect - link the Fellowship Program with community partners through engagement models and practical educational guidance with students through career services and student organizations to create networking opportunities.

Enhance - identify stakeholders to serve as leaders and mentors for the Fellowship Program and provide feedback on advancing alignment on professional development and educational opportunities alongside strategies to improve public health.  

The workgroup included 26 members from across the state, who held six (6) meetings (approximately 60-90 minutes) beginning Fall 2022 through Fall of 2023.

LHD Workgroup

To collect feedback on program implementation to date and inform future planning, the NYSPHC Fellowship Program partnered with the New York State Association of County Health Officials (NYSACHO) to convene a Local Health Department (LHD) Workgroup comprised of approximately 20 LHDs across New York State. This workgroup convened for six meetings beginning in late Fall 2022 and discussed a variety of topics related to the NYSPHC Fellowship Program, including Fellowship roles, existing program elements such as training and mentorship, administrative processes, and program sustainability. 

Events, Webinars, and Recordings

There are ongoing events, webinars and a recording archive of these webinars available for IHE and LHD Workgroup Members to access and review.  

Please visit the PHC events calendar of the website for the most up to date calendar.

• Presentation to IHEs November 2021

Public Health Essentials

Can I participate in PHE if I have a scheduled vacation during the cohort?

The course is fully online, facilitated, and asynchronous in nature, meaning there is no set time to meet with a class. You can work at your own pace to meet the deadlines for assignments. As such, participants can take a break during the course but should work to get back on track and up to date with the training schedule once the break is over so as not to get behind schedule. 

What if I don’t understand the PHE material?  Is there someone I can call or email for help?

All learners can participate in office hours offered by eCornell staff if additional assistance is needed. Additionally, learners can message course authors and facilitators using the Canvas learning management system to get further assistance. Since the course is asynchronous, learners can work at their own pace to meet the deadlines for assignments.

If I don’t pass the training, will I still be allowed to continue in the fellowship program?

The course was designed so that anyone with a high school diploma to someone with a PhD will be challenged and supported.  Assignments are graded on a pass/fail basis and all learners can participate in weekly office hours with eCornell staff if additional assistance is needed.  Since the course is asynchronous, learners can work at their own pace to meet the deadlines for assignments. Successful completion of Public Health Essentials is required to move on to year two of the Fellowship Program.

Can I do this training on work time, or do I work on the training at home, on my own time?

The expectation is that fellows will complete the program during their regularly scheduled work hours, and this expectation was communicated to Local Health Department directors and supervisors. Please plan to spend about 5 hours per week on your learning.

I never went to college.  Will I be able to handle this training course? 

The course was designed so that anyone with a high school diploma to someone with a PhD will be challenged and supported.  Assignments are graded on a pass/fail basis and all learners can participate in weekly office hours with eCornell staff if additional assistance is needed. Since the course is asynchronous, learners can work at their own pace to meet the deadlines for assignments. 

I have a master's degree/PhD in Public Health.  Do I still need to complete this requirement?

The course was designed so that anyone with a high school diploma to someone with a PhD will be challenged and supported. There is something to gain for all learners. In addition, you will build a learning community with other NYSPHC Fellows so your experience and education will be an asset to others in your learning cohort. 

I’m worried I won’t be able to keep up with the other people in my cohort.  Will I be in group classes with people for whom this is review while I’m learning all of this for the first time?

The course was designed so that anyone with a high school diploma to someone with a PhD will be challenged and supported. Assignments are graded on a pass/fail basis and all learners can participate in office hours with eCornell staff if additional assistance is needed. Since the course is asynchronous, learners can work at their own pace to meet the deadlines for assignments.

Do I need to keep track of module and course completions somewhere?   

eCornell utilizes a platform called Canvas as a learning management system. Learners first get trained on the system and then, once familiar, use Canvas to track course progression, view assignments and grades, communicate with instructors and other learners, navigate the dashboard, participate in discussion boards, and submit assignments and projects. Canvas also has a direct link to IT so anyone experiencing challenges with the platform has instant access to assistance.

Mentorship

How can I sign-up to be a mentor or nominate someone else as a mentor?

Mentors can self-nominate, be nominated by a colleague, or recruited and nominated by an LHD or program partner. If you have questions about becoming a Mentor, or would like to be or refer a Mentor, please contact NYSPHCfellows@health.ny.gov.

 Are mentorship opportunities open to grad students?

The NYS Public Health Corps welcomes all nominations, whether a student or not, who can serve as professional role models for NYS Public Health Corps Fellows. Ideally, the Mentor will have a background in public health or a related discipline, have experience in working within, or in collaboration, to support public health efforts, be knowledgeable enough to serve as a technical advisor beyond the classroom, and have the capacity to foster networking opportunities. If this describes you, we encourage you to complete the Mentor Nomination form again, being certain to fully complete all the questions about areas of expertise and experience in Public Health.