B’more for Healthy Babies Seeks AmeriCorps VISTA
B’more for Healthy Babies (BHB) is seeking a full-time AmeriCorps VISTA to scale up a newly launched
peer outreach program called the Healing Ourselves through Peer Empowerment (HOPE) Project. The
HOPE Project is an interconception (between pregnancies) health initiative for Baltimore women who
have experienced a stillbirth or infant death. These women are at the highest risk for having subsequent
pregnancies that result in preterm birth, low birthweight, stillbirth, and infant death. The HOPE Project
connects mothers with trained peer volunteers—a “maternal health corps”—who themselves have
experienced a pregnancy or infant loss. They provide one-to-one support, facilitate groups, and link
mothers to crucially needed health and social services.
The AmeriCorps VISTA will serve as the HOPE Project Ambassador. The goal of the Ambassador is to
expand BHB’s maternal health corps by building our infrastructure to support the volunteers, cultivating
community and hospital partnerships, and securing resources to support the long-term operation of the
program.
Duties
Working closely with program staff and key stakeholders, the Ambassador will:
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Actively participate on the BHB Team and in the development of the HOPE Project’s services and
evaluation
Develop collaborative relationships with the African-American faith-based community,
neighborhood civic organizations, and corporate entities with the potential to donate goods and
services to support the program
Develop volunteer dispatch protocols with area hospitals
Recruit a minimum of 25 peer volunteers among mothers in Baltimore City who have
experienced a pregnancy or infant loss
Oversee peer volunteers as they work with the community
Train peer volunteers in outreach and engagement techniques, cultural competence, traumainformed care, grief and loss, and interconception health, including reproductive life planning
Educate peer volunteers on health insurance options and develop a system for volunteers for
referring mothers for insurance
Collaborate across divisions to create procedures and policies that support the long-term
operation of the program
Through partnerships, provide peer volunteers with opportunities to build their resumes and
obtain job training and employment knowledge about employment, education, and housing
opportunities citywide
Implement evaluation plan to measure program results
Document the peer outreach model, including recruitment, training, and supervision so that it
can be measured and replicated in other city communities
Present work on the maternal health corps to BHB task forces and programs and consult on the
incorporation of peer approaches into BHB programs
AmeriCorps VISTA is an excellent national service opportunity that provides a living allowance and other
benefits as outlined below. With BHB, the AmeriCorps VISTA will work hand-in-hand with a variety of
City agencies and community partners and receive a solid foundation of skills that they can use as a
springboard to careers in government, nonprofits, health, and much more. The Ambassador will report
to the Chair of the BHB Equity Coalition Coalition in the Bureau of Maternal and Child Health at the
Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD). The Ambassador’s workstation will be located at BCHD, and
work is also conducted in community locations typically accessible by public transportation.
Qualifications
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Two years of training and/or community outreach experience (paid or unpaid)
Previous experience working in maternal and child health (paid or unpaid)
First-hand experience in one or more of the following areas: cultural competency, bereavement,
interconception care, family planning, economic self-sufficiency for low-income families
Ability to develop productive working relationships with counterparts in multicultural groups
and other agencies
Excellent verbal, written communication, and presentation skills
Proven leadership skills
Excellent skills in facilitation, team building, and coordination
Length of Service
This is a one-year position (June 2014—June 2015).
Benefits
AmeriCorps VISTA members receive a modest living allowance, health care coverage, re-location and
settling in assistance if eligible, and a choice between a $5,550 education award or $1,500 stipend at the
end of their service.
To Apply
E-mail a resume and cover letter to Cathy Costa at cathy.costa@baltimorecity.gov. The deadline to apply
is Monday, April 7, 2014.