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2026 RADICAL HEALTH FELLOWSHIP

30 spots. $1,500 stipend.

UPDATED Deadline:

Mental Health Track: December 12, 2025 11:59PM ET

All other tracks: December 26, 2025 11:59PM ET

APPLY TODAY

THE FUTURE OF HEALTH STARTS WITH YOU

THE TRUTH

Someone you love has been dismissed by the healthcare system.

Maybe they waited 6 hours in the ER for something that should have been urgent.
Maybe they didn't know the right questions to ask.
Maybe they're uninsured and don't know where to go.
Maybe they're still waiting for help that never came.

You can't un-see what you've seen. But you can learn how to change it.

The Radical Health Fellowship is for people with lived experience who want to become health advocates.

30 spots. $1,500 stipend. 6 months.

Deadline:

Mental Health Track: December 12, 2025 11:59PM ET

All other tracks: December 26, 2025 11:59PM ET

APPLY NOW →

Apply for Radical Health's 2026 Fellowship, in partnership with the CUNY Institute for State & Local Governance (ISLG), and help improve the health of your community!

IS THIS YOU?

This is Bonte, 27, from the Bronx. Watched their grandmother have a difficult experience because no one at the hospital spoke her language. Now Jéan holds circles in their building to teach neighbors how to advocate at the doctor.

This is Marcus, 41, Brooklyn. Lost his brother to an overdose because stigma kept him from asking for help. Now Marcus is getting Narcan-certified so no one else has to lose someone in silence.

This fellowship isn't for people with medical degrees.

It's for people with stories that won't stay quiet.

If you've been dismissed, ignored, or told to wait—this is for you.

Two women sitting together on stairs, smiling and talking, each holding a mug, in a bright room with white brick walls and green plant in background.

LIMITED SPOTS: 30 FELLOWS TOTAL

Only 10 spots per track.

We're not looking for perfect resumes. We're looking for people who've been harmed by the system and want to heal it.

Last year: 200+ applications. 30 accepted.

If you're reading this, you're already ahead. But you need to apply by the dates below:

Mental Health Track: December 12, 2025 11:59PM ET

All other tracks: December 26, 2025 11:59PM ET

LEt’s Get Started!

Here are some resources to help you apply and get started.

Start Your Journey Here.

WHAT CHANGES AFTER 6 MONTHS

YOUR CREDENTIALS:

✅ Restorative Justice Circle Keeper
✅ SEED Acupuncture Practitioner
✅ Narcan Administrator
✅ Health Topic Specialist (Mental Health, Healthcare Navigation, OR Harm Reduction)

Market value of these certifications: $3,000-$5,000+
Your cost: $0. We pay YOU $1,500.

WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING

We know that having conversations about mental health, substance use, and healthcare can be daunting and scary, but we believe that with the right skills and knowledge, anyone can do it.

You don't need a medical degree. You need:

  • The courage to hold space for hard conversations

  • The commitment to show up for your community

  • The willingness to learn restorative practices

Radical Health uses indigenous circle practices to create conversations that actually matter—where people feel heard, build trust, and share knowledge that saves lives.

Our Restorative Health Circles bring communities together for peer-to-peer dialogue. These aren't lectures. They're spaces where your lived experience becomes collective wisdom.

This is how we build trust in healthcare—one circle at a time.

Pick your cohort. Apply NOW

  • At our core, Radical Health makes it easy for people to come together, ask questions, and know what questions to ask to ensure you’re taken care of.

  • Radical Health was founded on the belief that a systematic approach to a neighborhood’s problems, especially one that does not consider a community’s cultural and indigenous practices, will never be a full remedy or solution to these issues.

  • Utilizing Radical Health’s Restorative Health Circles, we're able to create space for community members to engage in a new kind of dialogue and meaningful change.

Group of diverse people standing with heads bowed in a circle during a prayer or moment of silence in a community room.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

Two people working together at a desk with a laptop, notebook, and coffee cups in an office setting.

RESTORATIVE Health CIRCLE KEEPER CERTIFICATION

What it is:
A 5-day intensive training (in-person in NYC) that teaches you to facilitate healing-centered dialogue in your community.

What you'll be able to do:

  • Lead circles on mental health, substance use, or healthcare navigation

  • Hold space for difficult conversations without judgment

  • Build trust between community members and healthcare systems

  • Create safe environments for peer-to-peer learning

Why it matters:
This is a transferable, marketable skill valued across healthcare, legal services, nonprofits, education, and business sectors.

Training dates by track:

  • Track 1 (Mental Health):

    • Jan 12-15, 2026

  • Track 2 (Healthcare Navigation):

    • Jan 26-29, 2026

  • Track 3 (Harm Reduction):

    • Feb 9-12, 2026

All trainings: 10am-4pm EST, in NYC

Two women sitting on a pink couch, smiling and laughing, one holding a laptop, in a cozy living room with green plants and colorful decor.

TRACK-SPECIFIC EXPERTISE

You'll become a specialist in ONE of these areas:

🧠 TRACK 1: MENTAL HEALTH

  • Starting conversations about mental health in culturally sensitive ways

  • Recognizing barriers that keep people from seeking help

  • Connecting people to mental health resources

  • Reducing stigma through peer support

🏥 TRACK 2: HEALTHCARE NAVIGATION

  • Decoding insurance and healthcare systems

  • Supporting uninsured and underinsured neighbors

  • Teaching people how to advocate for themselves at doctor visits

  • Connecting communities to holistic care resources

💊 TRACK 3: DRUG USE & HARM REDUCTION

  • Narcan/Naloxone administration (DOHMH certified)

  • Understanding the history of drug policy and its impact

  • Building trust with people who use drugs

  • Facilitating nonjudgmental, life-saving conversations

Three diverse individuals gathered around a laptop on a small round table, engaged in a discussion, with a coffee mug and a notebook nearby, in a modern office setting.

SEED ACUPUNCTURE TRAINING

What it is:
Needle-free ear seed acupuncture—a trauma-informed, evidence-based healing practice.

What you'll be able to do:

  • Support substance use recovery

  • Help people manage anxiety and stress

  • Offer holistic wellness support to your community

  • Provide accessible healing without expensive equipment

Why it matters:
This is a professional wellness skill that opens doors to work in community health, recovery programs, and holistic care spaces.

Training: 1 session between February 2026

Three people sitting at a white table engaged in a discussion. A man on the left is taking notes, a woman on the right is writing in a notebook, and a woman in the middle is standing with a laptop, all with focused expressions. There is a plate of pastries, a glass of orange juice, a cup, and a stone-like object on the table.

STIPEND

Fellows who complete all required activities and deliverables receive a $1,500 stipend.

This stipend recognizes your time, travel, childcare, and commitment. This training is normally paid for—we're investing in YOU.

ELIGIBILITY

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

  • Age: 21 years or older

  • Location: Must live in NYC

  • Availability: Able to commit 6 months part-time

  • Resume: Must have an updated resume

  • Technology: Access to a computer with camera (for virtual sessions)

  • Commitment: Able to attend in-person training in NYC

This is your chance.

Let’s go.

A woman with curly hair in a light yellow dress looking at and holding a green paper on a dark wall with other colorful papers attached, next to a large green plant.

VIRTUAL CIRCLE FACILITATION

What it is:
Multi-week online training to host healing circles virtually.

What you'll be able to do:

  • Lead circles for people who can't attend in person

  • Reach community members across neighborhoods

  • Build digital skills that employers value

  • Create accessible support spaces online

Why it matters:
Virtual facilitation is the future of community health work—and most people don't have this skill yet.

Requirements: Computer with camera, reliable Wi-Fi

Overhead view of a person working on a laptop at a white table with various office supplies, including notebooks, colored pens, a cup of coffee, and a glass of orange juice; a green chair is partially visible.

ACTIVITES

Fellowship Kickoff:

Tuesday, January 6, 2026 (all cohorts)

  1. Biweekly Learning Meetings: Hybrid (in-person & virtual)

  2. Self-paced courses and assignments

  3. Check-ins and office hours with fellowship staff

  4. In-person social gatherings and community events

  5. DELIVERABLE: Host 4 restorative health circles

    • 2 in-person circle

    • 2 virtual circle

    • Between March 2 - May 22, 2026

    • You recruit participants from your community

WHAT TO EXPECT

A woman smiling and celebrating with fists raised, against a yellow circle background.

Applications Received

Our application process is designed to be inclusive, constructive, and engaging; we offer resources to help you while you build your application.

Applications RevieweD

Our team of expert reviewers closely reads and scores your application materials before you are notified about your candidacy status.

FINALISTS CHOSEN

If you’re chosen as a Finalist, you’ll interview with Radical Health team members so we can learn more about you.

FELLOWS NOTIFIED

If you’re selected for a Fellowship, your journey will kick off with onboarding and guidance from us every step of the way.

Five people sitting around a table in a brightly lit room, engaged in conversation and smiling, with notebooks, pens, and water bottles on the table.

APPLICATION DETAILS

    • Local to New York City 

    • 21 years of age or older

    • Proficiency in English 

    Please note, if you have participated in a Radical Health fellowship before, you are still eligible to participate - feel free to apply!

  • We’ll make selections based on demonstrated community advocacy and connections, capacity to lead restorative health circles, and long-terms goals.

    There are 30 total available slots for the Fellowship (10 per cohort). 

    Find the detailed Fellowship Selection Criteria here.

  • As part of this fellowship, fellows are required to:

    • attend all required events

    • complete all course and assignments

    • attend all dates of the in-person and virtual trainings

    After fellows are trained to host circles, you are required to: 

    • keep (lead host) at least two of your own circles with community members, friends, family, etc.

    • co-keep (support) two circles led by other fellows

Everything you need to know about applying for the 2026 NYC Restorative Health Circle Fellowship.

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Applications close at 11:59pm

Mental Health Track: December 12, 2025 11:59PM ET

All other tracks: December 26, 2025 11:59PM ET

QUESTIONS?

If you have any questions, reach out to Radical Health at fellowship@radical-health.com. 

your community IS WAITING.

Are you ready?

APPLY NOW