The Importance of the Community-Based Workforce in Addressing COVID-19
COVID-19 continues to present challenges across the globe, and Southwest Washington is no exception. As the virus continues to impact individuals in our community, there are important steps people can still take to slow its spread. Among them is staying up-to-date on the COVID-19 vaccine.
In July 2021, SWACH was awarded a $1 million grant to help community members learn more about, and ultimately receive, the COVID-19 vaccine. This grant focuses on removing barriers to the vaccine in BIPOC, housing insecure, and medically underrepresented populations. An essential part of this work is providing this support in culturally responsive ways. A cohort of Community-Based Workers (CBWs), working with Southwest Washington Equity Coalition (SWEC) and other partners, have played a crucial role in providing this support to our community.
We are grateful for the work of CBWs in this project. Between visiting individuals in their neighborhoods, hosting vaccination events, and participating in other outreach efforts, this cohort has done a remarkable job supporting their community. This workforce has made great progress in meeting people where they are and addressing their concerns about the vaccine. Without this cohort, we wouldn’t be able to do this work. SWACH would like to thank everyone involved for their commitment to keeping our communities safe.
This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $1 million with 0 percentage financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.
We are also grateful to Amerigroup and Molina Health Care for their sponsorship of COVID-18 vaccine education and access efforts. Their support has empowered us to expand our outreach.
