Thursday, May 15, 2025
5/15/2025
Mecklenburg County, Charlotte, NC - Application for Advancing Health Literacy re COVID-19 - Mecklenburg County Public Health (MCPH) located in Charlotte, NC is applying for funding as an urban community with a population greater than one million. As data indicates higher rates of COVID-19 impact and lower vaccine uptake in areas experiencing increased poverty and unemployment, this project will focus on the six Zip Codes (28205, 28206, 28208, 28212, 28216, 28217) that align with findings of the Social Vulnerability Index and that have been identified as Public Health Priority Areas. The key elements of this project include the launching of a COVID-19 Citizen Advocates Program, which will involve hiring and training a corps of community outreach specialists who are indigenous to the targeted communities through the community organizations identified as partners. We will establish a COVID-19 Learning Collaborative within the Village HeartBEAT?s, TC Elder Community Health Leadership Academy, an existing cross-sector led by MCPH in partnership with local healthcare providers/systems, universities, community organizations and the Village HeartBEAT faith-based coalition. The Learning Collaborative will host a COVID-19 ?Community Conversations? Series, an ongoing series of listening sessions utilizing a linguistically and culturally appropriate approach to raise awareness, answer questions and better understand community barriers to vaccination. It will also develop, test, and disseminate a cultural competency training for healthcare providers focused on addressing vaccine hesitancy among African American and Hispanic communities. This will be offered in coordination with Charlotte Area Health Education Center (AHEC), allowing for participants to earn CEUs. It will extend and further refine the existing multimedia and grassroots awareness and education campaign which utilizes CDC guidance in an extensive, multiplatform awareness and information campaign via community events, TV, radio, social media and direct mail, community outreach tool kits, community canvassing and direct engagement of community leaders with existing podcasts and other platforms. Project Evaluation and Quality Improvement efforts will be led by Johnson C. Smith University, Charlotte?s HBCU.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).