Health Equity Partnership & Communications VISTA

Advance health equity in Oregon by developing relationship and engaging community partners for advancement of Healthier Together Oregon, the State Health Improvement Plan in Portland.

Healthier Together Oregon (HTO), the State Health Improvement Plan is a strategic plan to advance health equity for priority populations in Oregon. HTO provides a roadmap to improve health through work in five priority areas: institutional bias, adversity trauma, toxic stress, behavioral health, access to equitable preventive health care, and economic drivers of health. This VISTA project will contribute to implementation of this plan by connecting with community-based partners around the state, amplifying community wisdom and innovation to inform state policy. The Project can be entirely remote, in the office, or a combination of both. Supervisor is a two-year alumni of the AmeriCorps program. Professional development opportunities include training about social determinants of health, collective impact, health equity, cross-sector partnership, and mentorship. 

This position will elevate and amplify community wisdom and experience to state policy makers.  You will identify, outreach to, and engage community-based partners whose work aligns with Healthier Together Oregon (HTO), the State Health Improvement Plan.

The member will: 1) Develop and implement a partnership development plan. 2) Conduct outreach to and maintain connection with identified partners. 3) Collaborate with staff across Oregon Health Authority. 4) Develop and implement an endorsement process for interested partners. 5) Support communication efforts for HTO and the Community Engagement Team. 

The member must demonstrate commitment to anti-racist practice and health equity. They should enjoy connecting with new people, being a connector of efforts and systems, and identifying opportunities across systems. This role requires someone who is a self-starter, can work independently, and enjoys being part of a team. Lived experience is valued and being bilingual is strongly desired. 

This position joins Oregon Health Authority’s statewide AmeriCorps VISTA team. In addition to activities at your individual site, each member receives additional orientation, training throughout the year, team meetings, and the support of the team leaders and project director based at the state public health agency. For more information about the Oregon Health Authority AmeriCorps VISTA Partnership Project, please visit: http://healthoregon.org/vista. Selections are made on a rolling basis and early applications are strongly encouraged. The last day to submit an application is July 17, 2022.

This position is with the Policy and Partnerships unit in the Office of the State Public Health Director, which is responsible for planning and coordinating public health policy development across the Public Health Division (PHD). The unit supports the work of PHD programs, coordinates across the other divisions of OHA, and collaborates with cross-sector partners outside of OHA. You will work closely with the Strategic Initiatives team which leads implementation of PHD’s work in health improvement, public health modernization and equity.  

This VISTA project will contribute to implementation of Healthier Together Oregon (HTO) by connecting with community-based partners around the state, amplifying community wisdom and innovation to inform state policy. The Project can be entirely remote, in the office, or hybrid.. Professional development opportunities include training about social determinants of health, collective impact, health equity, cross-sector partnership, and mentorship. 

The OHA AmeriCorps VISTA Partnership Project is committed to building a diverse workforce to strengthen our work in Oregon communities. We value applicants who can bring lived experience to further OHA’s strategic goal to eliminate health inequities by 2030. 

With the innovative and equity driven work happening in Oregon, Portland is a wonderful place to explore a future in public health.