The NYC Preparedness & Recovery Institute (PRI) is pleased to announce an exciting opportunity through our Racial Equity and Social Determinants of Health (RESDH) Team for students at the Mailman School of Public Health (MSPH) and the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy (CUNY SPH) to submit proposals to develop innovative, arts-based, health communication/dissemination science projects that utilize health equity in public health preparedness, response, and recovery. All project proposals must identify and support at least one of the below recommendations from the review of the emergency response to COVID-19 across society sectors in NYC. (Please note that these recommendations are still in draft form):
- Create a formal network of public, private, and nonprofit entities that can be activated rapidly during emergencies to assist efforts in response coordination, resource distribution, and other emergency activities.
- Ensure locally-based organizations are adequately resourced to fulfill response needs, including immediate emergency efforts and long-term structural support for resilience over time.
- Strengthen open, bi-directional dialogue with communities to build trust and support the amplification of public health efforts, with an emphasis on honesty, transparency, consistency, and appropriate acknowledgment of uncertainty.
- Formalize and expand efforts to support mental health interventions for healthcare workers.
- Expand programs to address food insecurity as a core objective for public health emergency response, particularly in low-income communities and food deserts, and racial and ethnic disparities in food access.
- Address long-term challenges related to housing shortages, overcrowding, affordability, and disparities in quality and access, while ensuring emergency housing supports are equitable and responsive to community needs.
- Prior to public health emergencies, build trust with communities by working closely with community advisory boards, community advocates, and other local NGOs, through transparent, accountable, and ongoing collaboration rather than crisis-only engagement.
- Expand the potential of local NGOs and community-based organizations to meet the specific needs of their communities through flexibility, direct funding, and a more cohesive response network.
- Create partnerships between government and large, trusted associations and networks (including housing associations and Journalism Schools) to encourage timely and transparent communication for preparedness planning at the community level.
- Provide additional funding and resources to support disinvested communities and areas experiencing disproportionate inequities during public health crises.
- Disseminate best practices in managing unforeseen events or aspects of pandemic events across the private sector and beyond.
- Enhance capacities to coordinate emergency response across the Economic System.
- Address supply chain and logistical challenges associated with major disruptions in supply and demand via innovative partnerships between the private, non-profit, and government sectors.
- Increase access to high-speed broadband and digital devices, and the training, support, and affordability needed to ensure meaningful and equitable digital inclusion, to reduce inequitable uptake in remote education and work.
Over the summer, selected students will receive weekly mentorship to develop their public health art dissemination project, which may include visual art, storytelling, digital media, or other creative formats. The RESDH team will provide guidance to ensure alignment with the COVID-19 review. For the summer experience, students will receive a $700 stipend. At the conclusion of summer, students will have their projects reviewed by a panel of experts on public health dissemination science and a selected few will have their final projects promoted through social media and/or public engagement.
How It Works
- Eligibility: Open to MSPH and CUNY SPH students passionate about using art-based approaches to advance health equity.
- Application: Interested students must submit their applications via this brief form outlining their idea, intended impact, and approach by June 15. Selected applicants will be notified in mid-June.
- Funding: Each selected student will receive a $700 stipend ($700 upon project completion).
- Mentorship & Development: Throughout the summer, students will receive mentorship to help refine and execute their projects.
- Dissemination: At the end of the summer, projects will be reviewed by a panel of experts on public health dissemination science and selected to be promoted through social media and/or public engagement campaigns.
We invite students interested in being considered for this exciting opportunity to complete this brief form by June 15 (Extended!).For more information or any questions, please contact Tara Abularrage (tfa2106@cumc.columbia.edu).