Community Health Engagement Specialist; UM Health Sparrow, AmeriCorps

Term of Service: 10/19/2026 to 9/30/2027 (49 weeks)

Slot Type and Minimum Service Hours: Full Time; 1700 Hours; 36 hours per week on average

Living Allowance: $22,000, disbursed in equal bi-weekly increments across the service term

Educational Award: $7,395, awarded upon successful completion of hours at the end of service term.

Host Site: University of Michigan Health-Sparrow

Position Title: Community Health Engagement Specialist

Reports To: Regional Manager of Community Engagement, Katie Hubbard and

Regional Director of Community Health Advancement and Patient Experience, Thomas Pierce

Our mission is to advance health to serve Michigan and the world.

Website: https://www.uofmhealthsparrow.org/

Under direction from the Regional Manager of Community Engagement and the Regional Director of Community Health Advancement and Patient Experience, the Community Health Outreach Specialist supports community engagement, public health communication, and outreach efforts by conducting research, collecting community feedback, developing educational materials, and collaborating with community partners. The position helps advance health equity initiatives through strategic communication, misinformation prevention, and community-informed approaches to improving access to care and public health resources.

• Monitor and analyze developments related to Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and the Health Insurance Marketplace, with a focus on implications for vulnerable and underserved populations.
• Research and evaluate pre-bunking and misinformation prevention strategies utilized by hospital systems, health departments and public health organizations nationwide.
• Identify and assess Health in All Policies (HiAP) approaches, evidence-based practices, and emerging trends to inform organizational initiatives.
• Research and recommend effective community-based locations, channels, and methods for distributing public health information and resources.

• Plan, coordinate, and facilitate community listening sessions to gather insights on community perceptions, priorities, and concerns related to public health issues and Medicaid policy changes.
• Design, distribute, and analyze surveys to collect community feedback regarding public health communication, health literacy, and access to care.
• Represent the organization at community events, outreach activities, and health promotion initiatives, as assigned.
• Develop and maintain relationships with community partners, peer organizations, government agencies, and other stakeholders to advance project objectives and strengthen community engagement efforts.
• Collaborate with the Marketing Lead and Community Health Advancement Coordinator to develop and implement communication and outreach strategies for external audiences.
• Participate in community collaboratives, coalitions, and work groups that support public health communication efforts, pre-bunking initiatives, and other public health priorities.

• Monitor traditional, digital, and social media channels to identify emerging public health issues, trends, and misinformation that may impact community health.
• Develop and maintain communication and information dissemination plans for key public health topics in alignment with organizational priorities and supervisory guidance.
• Create and distribute educational and promotional materials, including flyers, brochures, infographics, and other communication assets.
• Identify and implement effective marketing and outreach strategies to maximize the reach and impact of public health communications.
• Conduct in-person and virtual outreach activities to educate community members on access to care, public health resources, and changes to federal programs, including Medicaid.
• Support the development and implementation of communication frameworks, toolkits, and resource guides to ensure consistent and effective messaging.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of communication and outreach efforts by collecting and analyzing engagement and dissemination metrics.
• Develop content that highlights public health observances, community partnerships, special initiatives, and emerging health issues across internal and external communication channels.
• Maintain organized communication assets, records, and content libraries to support efficient workflow and knowledge management.
• Track campaign…