The Health and Aging Policy Fellows Program is a year-long fellowship that offers training and enrichment focused on current policy issues, communication skills development, and professional networking opportunities to provide Fellows with the experience and skills necessary to help affect policy.

Applicants choose to participate in:

1. Residential/Full-Time fellowship track is a full-time, year-long placement in Washington, DC, or at a state agency. Residential Fellows could be placed working as a legislative assistant in Congress, as professional staff in executive agencies, or with 'think tank' organizations; or

2. Non-Residential/Part-Time fellowship track is a part-time placement (20% effort) where Fellows can remain at their home institutions and requires they dedicate at least 20% of their time to a "virtual" placement and/or project with federal agencies. Non-residential Fellows may focus on a health policy project that is global, federal, state, city, or community-based; or

3. Veteran Affairs fellowship track is a non-residential track for VA staff to represent the Department of Veteran Affairs as a VA/Health and Aging Policy Fellow.

4. Behavioral Health Policy fellowship track enables Fellows to become leaders who implement behavioral health policies at the state and federal levels that improve the lives of older adults and those who care for them.

5. Caregiver Policy fellowship track enables Fellows based in and serving Western New York and Southeastern Michigan to become leaders who implement family caregiving policies at the state and federal levels that improve the lives of caregivers and those they care for.

Application Criteria:

• Applicants must demonstrate a strong interest in and commitment to behavioral health issues within the field of health and aging, i.e. experience, backgrounds, and interest in mental health and substance use and related conditions, with special attention to those prevalent in older individuals.
• Applicants must articulate how the program would meet their career goals to further advance behavioral health policies at the state or federal level.
• Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents who plan to work in the U.S. after the fellowship period.
• Candidates from underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

Applications are due by Tuesday, April 15, 2025.

Click here to apply.