HARTFORD, CT - The Connecticut Health Foundation’s Health Leadership Fellows Program is now accepting applications for its eighth class, which begins September 2012. CT Health’s leadership Fellows program is designed to develop individuals into leaders who can apply that learning to achieving health equity. CT Health’s leadership program provides participants with knowledge, experiences, and leadership skills needed to achieve health equity.
“The Connecticut Health Foundation fosters the development of leaders who are passionate and persistent about creating public will to improve health equity in Connecticut over the long term,” says Patricia Baker, president & CEO of the foundation.
The program brings together diverse, yet like-minded individuals who can influence policies, practices and programs aimed at achieving health equity. Twenty participants, who will be selected through a competitive process, make a ten-month commitment (September 2012 to June 2013). Ideal candidates possess leadership experience, strong critical thinking skills, access to opportunities to implement change and influence others, and a desire for ongoing learning and collaboration.
“The program is particularly interested in men and women from fields in and outside of health – education, business, oral health, mental health – as well as representation from all regions of the state,” says Elizabeth Krause, director of the Health Leadership Fellows Program.
“We foster a learning-intensive environment for our participants to challenge themselves and each other,” added Krause. “Once the participants complete the program in June 2013, they become full-fledged Fellows who can collaborate to achieve health equity in Connecticut.”
The rigorous program includes:
* monthly, half-day seminars led by state and national health leaders, policy-makers,
trainers and peers
* two weekend retreats
* a group leadership project
* outside coursework
The Health Leadership Fellows network is made up of 140 diverse leaders from around the state who are currently spearheading change in their places of employment, local communities and statewide to move this important issue. They have specifically worked on changing health systems to improve health equity related diabetes prevention, children’s mental health, and cultural and linguistic competency in medical settings, to name a few.
CT Health’s leadership program was established in 2005 after the foundation observed that too few leaders of color were present around tables at which key decisions were being made that affected communities of color.
“Thanks to the program, this pattern has shifted in a positive direction in Connecticut,” said Krause.
IMPORTANT DATES:
April 2, 2012 Submission Deadline
May – June 2012 Applicant Interviews
Mid-July 2012 Notification
September 12, 2012 Orientation
October 12-14, 2011 Fall Retreat
April 12-14, 2013 Spring Retreat
The application is available online at http://www.cthealth.org/initiatives/health-leadership-fellows-program. For additional information about the program, contact Elizabeth Krause, program director at Elizabeth@cthealth.org or 860.724.1580.
For additional information about the foundation, visit cthealth.org/ or contact Maryland Grier, senior communications officer, at 860.724.1580, ext. 21 or at maryland@cthealth.org.
About the Connecticut Health Foundation (CT Health) – www.cthealth.org: the state’s largest independent, nonprofit grant-making foundation dedicated to improving the health of the people of Connecticut through systemic change, program innovation and health policy analysis. Since it was established in July 1999, CT Health has awarded grants totaling $45 million in – children’s mental health, oral health, reducing racial and ethnic health disparities, and health policy and advocacy.
