WASHINGTON, D.C. – As part of a $7 billion investment in the public health workforce, the Biden-Harris Administration has announced Public Health AmeriCorps, which will support the recruitment, training, and development of a new generation of public health leaders who will be ready to respond to the nation’s public health needs. Public Health AmeriCorps is a joint effort between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and AmeriCorps, the federal agency for volunteering and national service, and will build on the expertise, best practices, and lessons learned from existing AmeriCorps and other public health programs. The program will help meet public health needs of local communities by providing much-needed surge capacity for state and local public health agencies and develop pathways to public health-related careers through on-site experience and training with a focus on recruiting AmeriCorps members who reflect the communities in which they will serve. Supported by a $400 million investment from the American Rescue Plan, the project is anticipated to fund up to 5,000 AmeriCorps positions over the next five years. Grants will be awarded through a competitive process, with the first competition expected in fall of 2021. “Public Health AmeriCorps will be a shining example of the whole of government approach to helping this country build back better,” said Karen Dahl, senior advisor for COVID-19 at AmeriCorps. “Together, the Centers for Disease Control and AmeriCorps will leverage our collective strength and experience to empower others and serve communities that have been hit hardest by the pandemic.”