AMCHP believes that achieving our vision of a skilled, flexible, and diverse MCH workforce starts with investing in the leadership development of individuals serving in many different roles and settings across jurisdictions. Leadership Lab is a unique opportunity for those affiliated or working with jurisdictional Title V programs (staff, consultants, volunteers) to accelerate their professional development in a way that is framed by the MCH Leadership Competencies and guided by adult learning principles.
Comprised of five (5) unique cohorts that run concurrently from September 2023 through May 2024, Leadership Lab exposes participants to information and resources that are relevant for their current and future roles; encourages the development and continuous revision of individualized leadership plans; challenges participants through collaborative activities and thoughtful discussions; cultivates a peer learning and accountability network; and provides participants with ongoing support from a matched mentor and AMCHP staff.
Cohort Descriptions
Leadership Lab is comprised of five (5) unique cohorts that run concurrently:
- New Director Leaders Cohort (NDLC) – for new jurisdictional MCH/CYSHCN Directors
- Management Accelerator Cohort (MAC, formerly NextGen) – for jurisdictional Title V staff at any point in their career arc who are managing programs or domain-specific portfolios
- Family Leaders Cohort (FLC) – for family members of a child or youth served by a Title V program and who has demonstrated some degree of community leadership
- MCH Epi Peer-to-Peer Cohort (MCH Epi P2P) – for epidemiologists and data specialists affiliated with a jurisdictional Title V MCH/CYSHCN program
- Adolescent Health Leaders Cohort (AHLC) – for state Adolescent Health Coordinators and other professionals seeking to build capacity to address and integrate adolescent health priorities into Title V and broader MCH
Core Program Components and Timeline
Leadership Lab requires a nine (9) month commitment from participants and mentors, beginning in September 2023 and extending through April 2024. This includes active engagement in a sequence of required program components. Click here to see the planned timeline with brief descriptions for each component. Evaluation is embedded throughout the experience to support continuous quality improvement and contribute to longitudinal data about program impact.
Information for Interested Participants
Applications are due on Friday, August 11 at 11:59ET. Please only apply for one cohort, even if you are eligible to apply for more than one. Please consult with your direct supervisor and/or your jurisdiction’s Title V, MCH, or CYSHCN Director before applying; it is critical that they support your application and will afford you the time required throughout the program cycle to complete all requirements. The application includes a combination of general questions and questions for each specific cohort. Following a review and selection process, decisions will be communicated to all applications by AMCHP staff by Wednesday, August 23.
At last year’s commencement, we asked participants to share which “professional muscles” they stretched, flexed, or grew as a result of their Leadership Lab experience. Responses included:
- “Recognizing my own gaps in knowledge/experience and honoring others’.”
- “Comfort with discomfort.”
- “Communication, collaboration, and balance.”
Have questions about the program or application process? Please contact our staff team by sending an e-mail to: workforce@amchp.org.
Information for Interested Mentors
Mentors contribute to the success of Leadership Lab by offering their expertise, wisdom, and support across program activities. They collaborate with AMCHP staff and other mentors to plan and facilitate cohort-specific sessions, support the development and implementation of matched mentees’ individualized leadership development plans, and make time to connect with mentees outside of formal Leadership Lab activities as needed (but at least once per month).
For those new to mentorship, Leadership Lab provides an opportunity to build skills while expanding their national network. For more experienced mentors, this is an opportunity to give back by helping peers chart a course for their career journeys. Discrete benefits for mentors include:
- Completion of the “Everything DiSC Workplace” assessment, a comprehensive analysis of their profile, and access to related training opportunities alongside their mentees throughout the program year.
- A stipend of up to $400 to accelerate your own professional development. This could go toward registration for a conference or training course, coaching, or another reimbursable activity.
AMCHP uses an interest form to collect information about potential mentors on a rolling basis, with more active recruitment in July and August of each year to prepare for the launch of a new Leadership Lab program year. The application includes questions about you, your motivation to support others’ leadership journeys, your interests, and your availability.
Have any questions about the program or the mentor role? Please contact our staff team by sending an e-mail to: workforce@amchp.org.
This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number U01MC0001 – Partnership for State Title V MCH Leadership Community Cooperative Agreement ($1,738,864). This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. government.
