Orange County Board of Supervisors Chair Doug Chaffee allocated $450,000 from his Fourth District Discretionary Funds to launch a Community Health Ambassador Program in partnership with CSUF’s Department of Public Health. The pilot program focused on the city of Stanton will develop a model to promote and support improved health outcomes.
Beginning this fall, students enrolled in CSUF’s Master of Public Health program will design, implement and evaluate targeted interventions to reduce health disparities and establish a sustainable model to improve community health.
“CHAP invests in the next generation of public health leaders in Orange County,” said Chair Doug Chaffee. “This program will provide valuable, data-driven insights into specific health challenges by focusing on the underlying causes of health disparities and promoting the overall well-being of our community.”
Building upon the work of government agencies and nonprofits in the city of Stanton, the program, modeled after Costa Rica’s Equipos Básicos de Atención Integral de Salud model, aims to transform the health care framework. Students will assess service gaps in Orange County in collaboration with local providers and develop tailored strategies to address unmet needs and allocate resources more efficiently. Using data-driven insights, students will address the underlying causes of health disparities in Orange County and create sustainable community-driven solutions.
“This partnership is a reminder of what’s possible when higher education and public service come together for the common good,” said CSUF President Ronald S. Rochon. “By working together, we’re giving our students a unique opportunity to roll up their sleeves and make a real difference in our local communities. From conducting community needs assessments to improving access to health care services, our students will gain invaluable experience and help create meaningful change. We are grateful to Chairman Chaffee and the county for championing this important initiative.”
The new program emphasizes applying classroom instruction to real-world local public health practice settings. During the two-year program, students will conduct a community needs assessment, gather data, and propose new local public health and health care practices and changes in public policy. CHAP will involve about 30 students, with concentrations in community health, epidemiology, and environmental and occupational health and safety.
“The support from Chairman Chaffee to implement the Community Health Ambassador Program comes at an ideal time,” said Department of Public Health Chair and Professor Michele Wood. “Public health is already an applied field, and our department just refreshed our Master of Public Health program to make it even more applied and contextualized in local, real-world communities. I believe CHAP will not only provide incomparable learning and training opportunities to prepare our students for the workforce but also will have a positive impact on community health in the City of Stanton. The program will benefit our partner organizations, as well. It’s a wonderful collaboration with so many benefits.”