HUD/HHS Work Together to Provide Greater Access to COVID-19 Vaccines
The efforts to increase access to COVID-19 vaccine options are underway, with a joint effort between the US Health and Human Services and the US Housing and Urban Development. The agencies are partnering up in an attempt at assisting communities that have been disproportionately affected by aspects related to COVID-19. This includes households obtaining assistance from HUD, as well as people in the midst of homelessness.
As the HUD/HHS work together to provide greater access to COVID-19 vaccines, the partnership will leverage the COVID-19 vaccine program as a way to reach thousands of public housing properties, multi-family housing properties, and homeless shelters across the country. Through the collaboration, COVID-19 resource access will be increased in these at-risk communities in an attempt to reduce the spread of the virus and assist in the well-being of families and individuals. Increased resources include readily available vaccinations and COVID-19 tests.
While vaccination numbers continue to steadily increase, it is among the most vulnerable and at-risk populations that numbers remain low. Disabled individuals, senior citizens, minority and marginalized households, low-income families, and the homeless are the types of groups served by the HUD. By partnering together, the HUD and HHS will be able to expand these groups’ access to complete COVID-19 care and prevention.
This is a combined effort to further the purposes of the Biden administration, as it works to create a cohesive and effective COVID-19 response. As the efforts to vaccinate all Americans continue, the HUD/HHS partnership targets the vulnerable communities that could otherwise be left out.
As a part of the effort, community health centers are being asked to reach out to the groups and grant recipients associated with the HUD. These groups include public housing authorities, single and multi-family owners, homeless providers, and more.
As a public housing authority, you will be able to work together with your community health center to craft a seamless strategy for the prevention and mitigation of COVID-19. An effective strategy will include vaccination, testing, and treatments.
With many Americans, including those in vulnerable communities, distrustful of the COVID-19 vaccine, part of a comprehensive strategy will include a cultural and educational approach to vaccine effectiveness and safety.
You may be asked to facilitate COVID-19 testing and vaccinations in your communities by providing registration and scheduling, as well as running on-site vaccination clinics in your housing development.
Work with your community health center to determine how you can best serve your public housing sites and communities in this combined HUD/HHS COVID-19 response. Assisting in testing and vaccination is a huge step in the fight against COVID-19. If you need help with the organization, implementation, or related needs around software, reach out any time to a member of our team.