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The Villers Fellowship for Health Care Justice was created in 2005 by Philippe Villers, Families USA’s Founder and President. The Villers Fellow works in Families USA’s health policy department and assist the organization’s efforts to improve access to health coverage for all Americans, especially for low-income and other vulnerable constituencies. In creating the fellowship, Mr. Villers aspires to develop a network of young leaders who share a passion for health care justice. The ideal candidate will demonstrate a commitment to health care justice work following their year as a fellow. Additionally, in order to further the development of future leaders, Villers fellows must commit to mentoring at least one person over the course of their careers.

The Villers Fellow works as a full-time policy analyst in Families USA’s Health Policy Department. Designed to provide the fellow with a national perspective on health care justice work, the fellowship will be based in the Families USA office in Washington, DC and will afford the fellow the opportunity to learn about issues related to expanding access to coverage and national advocacy strategies. The Villers Fellow’s primary responsibilities involve conducting primary and secondary research on a range of health policy issues, including national health care reform, Medicaid, Medicare, the state Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and the private insurance market. Fellows also write and contribute to publications—including talking points, fact sheets, issue briefs and national media reports—that educate advocates and the public about national health policymaking. Fellows also may provide technical assistance to state advocates working to expand access to coverage in their states. Villers Fellows will have the opportunity to attend meetings on Capitol Hill; make presentations; and analyze legislation. Please explore our website at http://www.familiesusa.org to see examples of reports, policy briefs, and press releases produced by our organization to gain a better sense of the type of work the Villers fellow might do.

The Villers Fellowship is a year-long, full-time, salaried ($38,000) position in Families USA’s office in Washington, DC. The position begins in August and runs through the end of July. Each year, one candidate will be selected for the fellowship.

The ideal candidate will exhibit a keen interest in and commitment to advocating for underprivileged groups through research and policy analysis related to expanding access to coverage. While we do not look for any particular coursework or experiences, your academic, volunteer, and professional background should reflect your dedication to health care justice work. Fellows should also have an interest in national level advocacy and developing an understanding of the complexities of the United States’ national health care system.

Applications are due by January 15, 2010. For application instructions, please go to http://www.familiesusa.org/villers or email villersfellowship@familiesusa.org to obtain a hard copy of the application brochure.