ATLANTA– The Center for Global Health Innovation (CGHI) today announced the award of $9,850,664 from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to fund the Center’s Vaccine Access and Training (VAT) initiative.
The Center for Global Health Innovation will deploy community health workers across Georgia, Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Kentucky, Michigan, and Texas to build COVID-19 vaccine confidence in vulnerable and medically underserved communities. By bringing together community health workers, local clinics, health professionals, community-based organizations, and public health experts, the project’s comprehensive and collaborative approach will provide a rich support system, featuring toolkits, training and resources, for the community health workers. The growing network of partners includes Johns Hopkins University, Emory University, Urban Strategies, Association of Immunization Managers, National Association of County and City Health Officials, Georgia College Rural Studies Institute, Pima County Health Department, Detroit Association of Black Organizations, and Coordinated Care Inc.
The VAT initiative will be part of The Center for Global Health Innovation’s expanding health equity program. CEO, Maria Thacker Goethe, said, “The Center for Global Health Innovation is committed to global health problem-solving through transformational industry collaboration. This grant is an extraordinary opportunity for us to leverage existing partnerships while creating new relationships to tackle the most pressing health crisis of our time. To realize the goal of a COVID-19 immunization program to mitigate health inequities, it is essential to include engagement that facilitates trust, provides accurate and interpretable information, and honors and incorporates the values and lived experience of communities at disproportionate risk for COVID-19.”
“Public-private partnerships are essential to address public health crises at the community level. Our unique role as a cross-sector convener has positioned us well to expand our impact,” said Dr. Stephanie Adams, Managing Director for The Center for Global Health Innovation’s Office for Health Equity and Crisis Coordination and VAT Project Director. “This grant provides an opportunity for us to build on our outreach work and make impact in the communities that need it most.”
