By : Subuk Hasnain
Tue, 07/23/2013 - 1:28pm
The Chicago City Council Committee on Health and Environmental Protection on Tuesday approved a measure authorizing the city’s Department of Public Health to move forward with an agreement with the Public Health Institute of Metropolitan Chicago to host AmeriCorps volunteers.
According to Jaime Dircksen, deputy commissioner for the Department of Public Health, the ordinance would allow her department to become a host for AmeriCorps’ Chicago HealthCorps, which works to develop innovative in-school programs to help students make healthier choices. Pursuant to the agreement approved Tuesday, AmeriCorps will train its members – undergraduate and graduate level students who want to work in public service – to provide oral health education programs at Chicago Public Schools.
The Public Health Institute of Metropolitan Chicago, Dircksen explained, has a contract with the federal government to find local placements for AmeriCorps members.
Dircksen also noted that the agreement will help CDPH meet standards for accreditation as a national public health department. As part of that accreditation process, the department must provide evidence that it is “establishing relationships and collaborations that promote the development of the future public health workforce.” Dircksen added that the work with AmeriCorps helps the department meet those requirements while improving health education in Chicago.
“In addition to meeting national standards,” Dircksen explained, “this provides CDPH with the opportunity to better serve our residents by enhancing the services we can provide, specifically oral health education through additional support of [AmeriCorps’] members.”
The full City Council will consider the ordinance during its meeting on Wednesday.
This article was originally published on the Daily Whale website in 2013.