FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 8, 2022

CONTACT: Jack Cardinal of Community Catalyst, (781) 960-5208, jcardinal@communitycatalyst.org OR Michele McEvoy of NYHealth, (212) 292-7293, mcevoy@nyhealthfoundation.org  

(NEW YORK, NY) – Community Catalyst is proud to partner with the New York Health Foundation (NYHealth) to launch a new project under the auspices of the Restuccia Health Justice Fellowship program that will take a deep dive into the ecosystem of health justice in New York State. The Restuccia Health Justice Fellowship–New York embraces Community Catalyst’s and the NYHealth’s shared goal of advancing race equity and health justice. 

The Restuccia Health Justice Fellowship–New York is the first regionally focused individual leadership development fellowship centered on advancing race equity and health justice, a shared goal of Community Catalyst and NYHealth. During the program, the inaugural cohort of fellows located in and serving New York State will participate in an innovative leadership training model that will provide them with skills and tools to effectively advocate on behalf of their communities and tackle structural racism and other inequities embedded in the U.S. health system.

The regional pilot responds to advocates’ needs in the field and builds on the framework of Community Catalyst’s national Restuccia Health Justice Fellowship: advancing leadership development and teamwork, organizational transformation, powerful and unusual partnerships, and leadership through a race equity and health justice lens. New York fellows will also develop a deeper understanding of the New York State policy-making process, strategies that have been successful in effectuating meaningful change, and key issues for advancing health equity in New York State.

Eight emerging advocacy leaders serving New York State will be selected to participate in the fellowship. Over the course of the fellowship, they will work alongside at least two colleagues from their organization. Preference will be given to applicants that have identified at least one senior-level decision maker within the organization as a collaborative partner. 

“Community Catalyst is committed to supporting community leadership and the Restuccia Health Justice Fellowship is designed to deepen that commitment, with an emphasis on supporting leaders of color,” shared Emily Stewart, executive director of Community Catalyst, a leading non-profit national health advocacy organization dedicated to advancing a movement for race equity and health justice. “We are grateful to NYHealth for its catalyzing support of the Restuccia Health Justice Fellowship program. This investment has made it possible for Community Catalyst to pilot a new, exciting regional component of the Fellowship: The Restuccia Health Justice Fellowship–New York.” 

The Restuccia Health Justice Fellowship–New York is supported by NYHealth’s Empowering Health Care Consumers program, designed to ensure that New York’s health care system evolves and continues to meet community and patient needs. 

“New York State is home to some of the most sophisticated and effective consumer health advocates in the nation, yet the number of go-to advocates is small relative to the size and complexity of the State,” shared David Sandman, Ph.D., president and CEO of NYHealth. “To prepare for the next generation of advocates, it is time to identify and cultivate dynamic mid-career professionals, especially emerging leaders of color, who represent the geographic, racial, ethnic, and gender diversity of New York State.”

Open Call for Proposals: The Restuccia Health Justice Fellowship–New York (Pilot)

The Restuccia Health Justice Fellowship–New York’s primary objective is to equip a diverse cohort of individuals and their teams within local, state and national health advocacy organizations located in and serving New York State with the tools, resources and teamwork to transform their organizations. Together, these individuals and organizations will be able to take greater strides toward advancing race equity and health justice and evolving New York’s health care system to meet community and patient needs.

We seek emerging leaders working in health advocacy, health policy, patient advocacy, and/or a community-based organization within New York that prioritize health in their work. Supporting organizations of color* is a primary goal of the fellowship program. While it is not a required eligibility criteria for the New York fellowship, applications from geographically diverse fellows who work across New York State, have lived experience, and work in or serve low-income communities and communities of color will be prioritized. Applications are due by July 8th; more details are available here.

Coming Soon: The Restuccia Health Justice Fellowship (National)

Community Catalyst will be accepting applications for the second Restuccia Health Justice Fellowship cohort, which has a national focus, in July. Get to know the inaugural class–which includes immigrant rights, grassroots organizing, and reproductive justice organizations. 

*Learn more about the The Restuccia Health Justice Fellowship–New York and how Community Catalyst defines Communities of Color here.

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About Community Catalyst: Community Catalyst is a leading non-profit national health advocacy organization dedicated to advancing a movement for health equity and justice. We partner with local, state and national advocates to leverage and build power so all people can influence decisions that affect their health. Health systems will not be accountable to people without a fully engaged and organized community voice. That’s why we work every day to ensure people’s interests are represented wherever important decisions about health and health care are made: in communities, state houses and on Capitol Hill. For more information, visit http://www.communitycatalyst.org. Follow us on Twitter @CommCatHealth.     

About NYHealth: The New York Health Foundation (NYHealth) is a private, statewide foundation dedicated to improving the health of all New Yorkers. The Foundation is committed to making grants, informing health policy and practice, spreading effective programs to improve the health care system and the health of New Yorkers, serving as a convener of health leaders across the State, and providing technical assistance to its grantees and partners. For more information, visit www.nyhealthfoundation.org and https://twitter.com/nyhfoundation.