U.S. Digital Corps Fellows are motivated, passionate early-career technologists who represent the diversity of our country and who play a key role in delivering secure, effective, and equitable government services to the public.
+
U.S. Digital Corps Fellows are motivated, passionate early-career technologists who represent the diversity of our country and who play a key role in delivering efficient, trustworthy government services to the public.
@@ -123,4 +123,4 @@
U.S. Digital Corps Fellows are motivated, passionate early-career technologi
const siteBaseurl = "{{ site.baseurl }}";
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diff --git a/_projects/hrsa-piloting-a-peer-navigator-service-to-improve-access-to-public-benefits.md b/_projects/hrsa-piloting-a-peer-navigator-service-to-improve-access-to-public-benefits.md
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@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+---
+id: hrsa-piloting-a-peer-navigator-service-to-improve-access-to-public-benefits
+agency: "Health Resources and Services Administration"
+agency_abbrev: "HRSA"
+agency_logo: "/assets/images/agencies/HRSA.webp"
+title: "Piloting a Peer Navigator Service to Improve Access to Public Benefits"
+project_name: "Piloting a Peer Navigator Service to Improve Access to Public Benefits"
+summary: 'Implementing human-centered design to improve access to public benefits for expecting parents in support of the "Having a child and early childhood" cross-agency life experience project at the Health Resources and Services Administration.'
+project_url: https://healthystart-tasc.org/alumni-peer-navigator-apn-services-playbook/
+youtube_url:
+impact_story_link: hrsa-piloting-a-peer-navigator-service-to-improve-access-to-public-benefits
+the_impact: true
+the_approach: true
+the_solution: false
+skill_set: ['Design','Product Management']
+tags: ['Product_Management', 'Design', 'Health', 'Equity', 'Public_experience', 'HRSA']
+impact_area: ["Health", "Equity", "Public experience"]
+status: ["current"]
+---
+
+## *About HRSA* {#the-about}
+The [Health Resources and Services Administration](https://www.hrsa.gov/) (HRSA) is a federal agency which provides equitable health care to people who are geographically isolated and economically or medically vulnerable. HRSA’s mission is to improve health outcomes and achieve health equity through access to quality services, a skilled health workforce, and innovative, high-value programs. HRSA’s [Healthy Start](https://mchb.hrsa.gov/programs-impact/healthy-start) program provides federal funding to grantees to improve outcomes before, during, and after pregnancy.
+
+Having a child is one of the most significant life experiences for any family, yet the burdens weigh heaviest on families with limited access to resources and opportunities. [Executive Order 14058](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/12/16/2021-27380/transforming-federal-customer-experience-and-service-delivery-to-rebuild-trust-in-government), Transforming Federal Customer Experience and Service Delivery To Rebuild Trust in Government, tasked HRSA with using human-centered design to improve this experience. HRSA hosted a USDC Fellow for the design and implementation of a pilot program to improve government support to new parents.
+
+
+## The challenge
+The U.S. has seen increasing infant and maternal mortality rates in recent years, especially in Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities ([CDC, 2023](https://blogs.cdc.gov/nchs/2023/11/01/7479/)). Each year, billions of dollars allocated for existing public benefits never reach eligible households because the federal safety net is so difficult to navigate. Lack of awareness, missing or inaccurate information, and complex application processes prevent eligible applicants from receiving or even seeking benefits.
+
+
+
+
+
+ 0-5 Discovery Research Phase: A participant shares feedback on the challenges of navigating the public benefits system.
+
+
+
+## The approach
+A cross-agency team of staff at HRSA and the U.S. Digital Service (USDS) worked collaboratively with communities to envision and implement a solution to this challenge. HRSA did not have any staff designers, and through the USDC fellowship, they were able to secure their first ever designer at the agency, who also served as the design lead for the project. The team conducted ten learning visits in different states to understand the specific difficulties families were experiencing in accessing benefits and what they thought could be an ideal path forward. The visits resulted in the concept of peer navigator services: a model where experienced families in the community connect with and support newer families by helping with tasks like enrolling in federal benefits, accessing resources, and achieving self-sufficiency while providing social and emotional support along the way. The team hypothesized that alumni of the Healthy Start program would be the strongest peer navigators by leveraging their lived experiences as program participants.
+
+In July 2023, an Alumni Peer Navigator (APN) Services pilot launched at six Healthy Start sites: Los Angeles, CA; Pee Dee, SC; Harlem, NY; Baton Rouge, LA; Turtle Mountain, ND; and Atlanta, GA—communities with some of the highest maternal and infant mortality rates in the United States.
+
+Common services included:
+- Family check-ins
+- Delivering essential baby items, documentation
+- Assisting with benefits enrollment and language access
+- Serving as buddies to social service appointments
+- Connecting moms with other moms and care, including doula services
+- Hosting career workshops and job readiness events
+- Advocating for quality treatment for women of color
+
+Each site had flexibility in their specific implementation of the APN Services model, with general guidance provided by a federal design team from HRSA and USDS. Implementation activities ranged from finding creative ways to engage their communities such as a virtual self-care series to contributing to food pantries or organizing social media groups.The team conducted in-person design visits in Fall 2023 and Spring 2024, which included design sessions with families, alumni peer navigators, and Healthy Start staff to improve the pilot service offerings.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+## The impact
+APNs supported more than 500 families over the nine-month pilot period. The team collected metrics on client satisfaction, benefits, and proxies to maternal stress. Key findings included an average satisfaction rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars from APNs and 4.6 out of 5 stars from families. Additionally, 71% of families reported that their APN supported them in enrolling in benefits, and 81% noted that APNs made the process easier.
+
+Leadership from all six pilot sites reported that the APN Services pilot was an improvement to their organization, and 100% recommended other Healthy Start grantees consider APN Services. Most case managers reported that this model reduced their workload burden, saving an average of 7.3 hours per month. Moreover, 74% of families felt less lonely after being paired with their APN, and 98% expressed a desire to continue working with their APN.
+
+Families were incredibly appreciative of the pilot. **A mother in Atlanta commented on the support she received from the APN program, saying “[Support] looks like a big belly and being full. Before having WIC, [I was] going to work hungry, leaving work hungry. Just having those amenities in my household, I’m so grateful. I feel supported so I can keep going. It’s fundamental, it gives you hope for a better future. I have exceptional customer service. I have a happy child.**” APNs also felt a sense of fulfillment. An APN in Los Angeles said, “I am able to provide resources. I am able to make somebody’s day, feed somebody, get diapers…I am just able to help somebody.”
+
+Once the proof-of-concept was established, the next steps for HRSA include expanding the program to the more than 100 Healthy Start sites across the country. To support the program’s scaling and sustainability, the team published a [playbook of best practices](https://healthystart-tasc.org/alumni-peer-navigator-apn-services-playbook/) so that other Healthy Start programs can adopt APN Services with lessons learned from the pilot. For current updates on this work, see the project website on [Performance.gov](https://www.performance.gov/cx/life-experiences/having-a-child-and-early-childhood/).
+
+
+
+
+
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diff --git a/pages/about.html b/pages/about.html
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--- a/pages/about.html
+++ b/pages/about.html
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@
Our Mission
- Empower the next generation of technology leaders to launch careers in public service and create a more
- effective, equitable government.
+ Empower the next generation of technology leaders to launch careers in public service and create
+ a more efficient, trustworthy government.
@@ -150,11 +150,10 @@
U.S. Digital Corps History
- The U.S. Digital Corps was launched in August 2021 by the Biden administration, in a collaboration between the
- General Services Administration (GSA), the White House Office of Management and Budget, the Office of Personnel
+ The U.S. Digital Corps was launched in August 2021 by the General Services Administration in collaboration with the White House Office of Management and Budget, the Office of Personnel
Management, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and the White House Office of Science and
Technology Policy. It is a cross‑government fellowship opportunity operated by the GSA’s
+ href="https://tts.gsa.gov/">
Technology Transformation Services (TTS).
Yes, as long as you meet the eligibility criteria for the Digital Corps. for the Digital Corps! Please note, current federal employees who are at a higher grade level ( > GS-9) will start at a GS-9 on the same career ladder as all Fellows, and may not be eligible to receive the program-wide recruitment incentive, but may be eligible to start at a higher step level if allowed under the maximum payable rate rule.
+
Yes, as long as you meet the eligibility criteria for the Digital Corps. Please note, current federal employees who are at a higher grade level ( > GS-9) will start at a GS-9 on the same career ladder as all Fellows, and may not be eligible to receive the program-wide recruitment incentive, but may be eligible to start at a higher step level if allowed under the maximum payable rate rule.
Current federal trainees and interns may still be eligible to receive the recruitment incentive.
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@
-
Our June 2022 cohort included 38 Fellows, our 2023 cohort included 48 Fellows, and in 2024 we brought on 70 Fellows across all five tracks. We anticipate a similar cohort size for 2025, but the exact breakdown among tracks will depend on agency project specifics.
+
Our June 2022 cohort included 38 Fellows, our 2023 cohort included 48 Fellows, and in 2024 we brought on 70 Fellows across all five tracks. We anticipate a similar cohort size for 2025, but the exact breakdown among tracks will depend on agency projects.
@@ -143,7 +143,6 @@
If you’re not selected, we still encourage you to apply to future opportunities, pending you still meet the eligibility criteria for the program.
-
During the application process, all applicants will have the opportunity to consent to sharing their name, application materials, and assessment results with other agencies to be considered for open positions beyond the U.S. Digital Corps. Your choice will not affect your application.
@@ -176,11 +175,11 @@
-
U.S. Digital Corps does not have internship opportunities. The USAJOBS Internship Portal is a good resource for internships across the federal government. There are also many third-party organizations that facilitate civic tech internships.
+
U.S. Digital Corps does not have internship opportunities. The USAJOBS Internship Portal is a good resource for internships across the federal government. There are also many third-party organizations that facilitate civic tech internships.
-
If you don’t see your question, email us at {{site.email}}.
+
If you don’t see your question, email us at {{site.email}}.
Fellows are assigned to projects at federal agencies based on their skill sets and interests and will work on
pressing priorities to better serve the public. Priorities include:
-
National security
-
Equity
+
Artificial intelligence
Customer experience
Public health
Immigration
@@ -189,7 +188,7 @@
Deliver high-impact work
Grow personally and professionally
- The Digital Corps invests in Fellows’ career growth with a dedicated learning and development curriculum and individual performance plans, helping you mature as a technologist and sharpen the problem solving skills that will make you more effective in creating impact in government and other large organizations. Accordingly, Fellows who meet all performance and program requirements will be eligible to be promoted to GS‑11 in the second year of the program and to GS‑12 at the conclusion of the fellowship.
+ USDC invests in Fellows’ career growth with a dedicated learning and development curriculum and individual performance plans, helping you mature as a technologist and sharpen the problem solving skills that will make you more effective in creating impact in government and other large organizations. Accordingly, Fellows who meet all performance and program requirements will be eligible to be promoted to GS‑11 in the second year of the program and to GS‑12 at the conclusion of the fellowship.
@@ -201,7 +200,7 @@
Grow personally and professionally
Join a supportive, diverse community
- Digital Corps Fellows join a welcoming community of supportive mentors and passionate peers that includes fellow government technologists, and organizations like Presidential Innovation Fellows, U.S. Digital Service, and 18F. Government technology and civic tech is a team sport, and we expect Digital Corps Fellows to be empathetic, collaborative, and mission-oriented.
+ USDC Fellows join a welcoming community of supportive mentors and passionate peers that includes fellow government technologists, and organizations like Presidential Innovation Fellows, U.S. Digital Service, and 18F. Government technology and civic tech is a team sport, and we expect Digital Corps Fellows to be empathetic, collaborative, and mission-oriented.
- Digital Corps Fellows work at agencies across the government on projects that make a difference for the American public.
+ USDC Fellows work at agencies across the government on projects that make a difference for the American public.
![A person holds a baby while a speech bubble next to them reads, When you call to try to talk to somebody, you never can get through. [...] I have to leave her six messages before she'll ever call me back.]({{site.baseurl}}/assets/images/projects/birth-to-five-signatories-deep-dive.webp)
+ 
+
+