Wednesday, June 4, 2025
6/4/2025
COVID-19 Action, Response, and Equity Coalition (CARE Coalition) - Located in Hamilton County in southeast Tennessee, the City of Chattanooga is launching a new Office of Community Health that will oversee the COVID-19 Action, Response, and Equity Coalition (CARE Coalition) to address health disparities, improve health literacy, and coordinate the City?s COVID-response. Chattanooga?s urban core includes nine Census tracts that fall within the highest (Top 4th) Overall Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) ranking, which includes 92,561 people (47.3% Black, 7.1% Latinx, and 30.2% low-income). While the CARE Coalition will benefit the entire city, services will primarily target zip codes with the highest SVI ranking, as these communities face the most significant health disparities. Currently, the minority populations in the City and County are seeing the worst effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. While our county is 24.5% Black or Latinx, this population accounts for 66.8% of COVID cases and 58.3% of COVID deaths?more than double the state rates. Worse, due to mistrust and misinformation among our target communities, vaccination rates continue to lag behind those of whites: while 29.8% of white individuals in our target area are at least partially vaccinated, only 15% and 27.2% of Black and Latinx individuals, respectively, have received at least one dose of the vaccine. The CARE Coalition has multi-sector representation, including City and County government; the health department; health clinics, hospitals, nonprofits, and faith-based organizations serving minority communities; and higher education partners with expertise in health disparities. Core project activities include: (1) Community Health Navigators: Six Community Health Navigators will work to increase health literacy, build trust, and improve COVID-19 outcomes and vaccination rates within the target communities. Navigators will conduct outreach in accessible locations, including the City?s network of 18 community centers, churches, schools, nonprofits, and m edical clinics targeting minorities. (2) Community Engagement: Working with partners, the City will conduct community outreach events and vaccine clinics to expand health literacy and increase vaccination rates among Black and Latinx communities. (3) Community Awareness: The City will implement an awareness campaign to reduce vaccine hesitancy, increase vaccination rates, and improve health literacy. The campaign will increase awareness of COVID-19 risk factors, importance of vaccinations, debunk vaccine myths in a culturally responsive way, and ensure equitable awareness of vaccine eligibility and accessibility. (4) Training: The City will provide health literacy and cultural competency training to all program staff and partners in alignment with evidence-based practices and the National Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) Standards. The overall goals of the CARE Coalition are to improve health literacy and reduce COVID-19 health disparities for Black and Latinx communities in Chattanooga. Projected annual outcomes include: 1,500 individuals served by Community Health Navigators; 24 health literacy outreach events; 12 vaccine clinics serving minority communities; 12,000 individuals impacted through outreach events and clinics; 50,000 individuals reached through the public awareness campaign; 50 individuals trained in health literacy and cultural competency evidence-based practices; increased vaccination rates and testing for Black and Latinx communities; and a reduction in COVID-19 case rates and deaths for Black and Latinx communities.
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).