Community Health Workers Reach Out To Marginalized Communities To Facilitate Access To COVID-19 Vaccine In San Antonio, Texas |
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The San Antonio Metropolitan Health District (Metro Health) has been working to address health equity since the beginning of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. Recognizing that the City of San Antonio’s online COVID-19 vaccine registration system favored community members that were more technologically savvy, which perpetuated already deep racial/income inequities in the community, Metro Health mobilized the Healthy Neighborhoods team of Community Health Workers (CHWs), along with the COVID-19 Community Health Prevention team to start registering residents living in some of the most underserved neighborhoods with the highest number of COVID cases/deaths (according to the City of San Antonio’s Equity Atlas/Matrix Map). Over 600 vaccine appointments were dedicated specifically to people who were experiencing difficulty accessing the system, such as those without internet, seniors, and Spanish-speaking immigrants and refugees. Through collaborations with community-based organizations, such as senior centers, community centers, faith-based institutions, and apartment buildings, the Community Health Workers were able to provide information and education directly to individuals to increase vaccine confidence and register qualifying residents for the mass vaccine clinics at the Alamodome. To date, the Community Health Workers have made approximately 21,600 vaccine appointments for community members through their outreach efforts.
In addition to neighborhood-based outreach, the Community Health Workers also identified community organizations within San Antonio who worked with vulnerable populations to identify individuals who were eligible during the first wave of vaccinations. Through these partnerships, eligible people were prioritized from immigrant and refugee communities, people with physical disabilities, Native Americans, and the LGBTQ+ community.
Most recently, Metro Health piloted a Pop-Up vaccination clinic model in two areas with the lowest vaccination rates and highest burden of COVID19-related mortality: one on the near East and one on the near West sides of town. These pop-up clinics were held at community sites with long standing relationships with the surrounding community. Through door to door outreach, CHWs ensured that people living in these neighborhoods, who qualified for the vaccine, were invited to take advantage of getting the COVID-19 vaccine in a friendly, familiar setting. During these two pilot Pop-Up vaccination clinics, nearly 600 people received their first dose vaccine and were registered for their second dose.
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Story of Impact: Oklahoma Public Health Alumnus
Reflects on R6-SCPHTC Field Placement Experience
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The stipend program allowed me to start and complete my practicum at the Southern Plains Tribal Health Board (SPTHB) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. SPTHB provided me with a practicum project that focused on my professional interest of helping tribal populations, gave me opportunities to learn a lot of the skills and experiences necessary to work with tribal populations in Oklahoma, and allowed me to establish positive professional relationships with different tribal organizations and leaders that I will take with me in my career.
After my practicum was completed and I graduated from the University of Oklahoma, I landed a job with the SPTHB in part because the stipend program partners with such fine organizations and puts their students in positions to have professional learning experiences that will help them in their public health careers.
Applying for the stipend was one of the best decisions I made and it has had a positive impact on my career. I hope this program can remain for many years to come!
- Terrence Todome, MPH
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COVID-19 Corner: All About Vaccines |
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Everything you wanted to know about the COVID-19 vaccines
Dr. Ronald Blanton, chair of the Department of Tropical Medicine (Photo by Sally Asher) Dr. Ronald Blanton, chair of the Department of Tropical Medicine and William G. Vincent Professor of Tropical Medicine at the School of Public Health and...
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sph.tulane.edu
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Episode 16 - COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy
Speakers Keith Brannon, associate director of Tulane Public Relations Dr. Thomas LaVeist, dean of Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine Brannon Welcome to On Good Authority, Tulane's podcast where we bring you leading experts to...
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tulane.edu
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Pilot Testers Wanted for Texas Hurricane Response Hub (TxHRH) |
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Course description and learning objectives for this training are listed below:
Course Description:
An effective communication plan delivers a succinct message across several channels to reach a mass audience. Learn how to tailor your health and medical message and communication channels appropriately after a disaster.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify the importance of communication during a hurricane or other disaster
- List the principals of disaster communications
- Describe how to use media/social media
- Summarize the role of public health in crisis communications
If you are interested in piloting this training, please email us.
Thank you!
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Course Spotlight:
Course Description:
Prevention for Pharmacists" training is to provide general training and build capacity for pharmacy staff regarding the opioid epidemic, signs of overdoses, naloxone, and harm reduction.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand what is Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) and the severity of the Opioid Epidemic
- Recognize the signs of an overdose and how to administer Naloxone
- Describe the laws and regulations that protect you as a pharmacist when prescribing Naloxone and as a bystander when administering Naloxone
- Understand your biases on addiction and how stigmatizing language may affect individuals from receiving proper care
- Recognize examples of harm reduction methods based on harm reduction principles and how it relates to the stages of change
For more information about
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Featured Course Bundle:
Tribal Behavioral Health (TBH)
The Tribal Behavioral Health curriculum is designed to provide general guidance and understanding to increase the knowledge of behavioral health in the American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) population and among tribal health departments, including issues and challenges — and organizations seeking to improve AI/AN behavioral health.
The 4 courses included in this curriculum will cover several topics related to behavioral health in the AI/AN population, including historical trauma and current issues. Descriptions of some of the programs and organizations that are working to improve AI/AN behavioral health will also be presented.
Courses in the TBH course bundle include:
- TBH 101: Overview of American Indian/Alaska Native Behavioral Health - 1 hour
- TBH 102: Health Issues for American Indian/Alaska Native Men - 1 hour
- TBH 103: The Opioid Epidemic and American Indian/Alaska Native Communities - 1 hour
- TBH 104: Culture is Prevention! - 1 hour
For more information about the Tribal Behavioral Health course bundle, please click here.
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Looking for more training on a specific topic in public health? Need additional training on a current public health hot topic? We want to help you address these needs. Please email us and let us know about your current training needs/interests/issues. We will evaluate our current trainings to see if we have something that can address your area of interest.
We look forward to your feedback!
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Visit the Region 6 South Central Public Health Training Center Website!
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