Tuesday, November 4, 2025 11/4/2025

Advancing Health Literacy in the District of Columbia to Enhance Equitable Community Responses to COVID-19

Award Number: CPIMP211294
ORGANIZATION: OFFICE OF MINORITY HEALTH
OPDIV: DHHS/OS
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: DEMONSTRATION
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 07/01/2021
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 06/30/2024

Group Awards By:

View Award Description

Advancing Health Literacy in the District of Columbia to Enhance Equitable Community Responses to COVID-19 - STATEMENT OF NEED The District of Columbia Department of Health (DC Health) aims to close health literacy (HL) gaps, particularly among Black/African American residents (45.4%) and Limited English Proficient populations (5.7%), critical to improving COVID-19 outcomes, and sustainability beyond. Background & Contributing Factors: An analysis of 51-statistical neighborhood (51-SN) demonstrated the underlying drivers of differential health opportunities by income, place, and race. A racial dissimilarity index (score of 70.9 underscored the extent of racial and economic segregation. A 21-year difference in life expectancy at birth, is correlated with inequity across nine key drivers (social and structural determinants), and persistent, disproportionate health outcomes, that negatively affect Black and Brown populations and neighborhoods.  COVID-19 Disproportionate Impact on Populations & Geographic Areas:  Cumulative incidence, mapped to 51-SN, shows differential rates and spread. Highest incidence rates occurred proximal to immigrant communities and correlated with the highest infection rates among Latinx residents, associated with occupation and housing circumstances. Rates and patterns of illness, such as hospitalizations and recovery vs. deaths, varied substantially by race and place. Black/African American residents experienced 49% of cases vs. 75% of deaths, while Hispanic/Latinx and non-Hispanic (NH) White residents made up 21% of cases vs. 11% of deaths and 26% of cases vs. 10% of deaths, respectively. Most deaths occurred in the 60+ age range and geographically concentrated to the east/southeast, where the eastern-most neighborhood experienced cumulative mortality, twice the city-wide rate. PROPOSED APPROACH DC Health plans to build a comprehensive, people-centered population health literacy model by leveraging COVID-19 response collaborations to build the infrastructure for sustainable health system (HS) and community-based organization (CBO) capacity to support individual and community health literacy. DC Health will convene multi-sectoral partners to drive and operationalize a citywide Health Literacy Plan to include assessment of organizational use of health literacy best practices; design of health literacy resources (i.e. Health Literacy Learning Support Portal, curricula and toolkits); training for HS and CBO workforces on best practices for using culturally, linguistically appropriate public health messages to improve COVID-19 testing and vaccination rates; and measurement of individual indicators of health literacy related to patient-provider communication.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = -$1,037,330 )
2025	2021	DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, GOVERNMENT OF	2201 SHANNON PL SE	WASHINGTON	DC	20020	DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA	USA	Community Programs to Improve Minority Health	05	1	12/11/2024	ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPLEMENT ( + OR - ) (DISCRETIONARY OR BLOCK AWARDS)	-$1,037,330
														Subtotal = -$1,037,330

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2023	2021	DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, GOVERNMENT OF	899 NORTH CAPITOL ST NE	WASHINGTON	DC	20002	DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA	USA	Community Programs to Improve Minority Health	04	1	6/9/2023	EXTENSION WITH OR WITHOUT FUNDS	$0
2023	2021	DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, GOVERNMENT OF	899 NORTH CAPITOL ST NE	WASHINGTON	DC	20002	DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA	USA	Community Programs to Improve Minority Health	03	1	5/1/2023	ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPLEMENT ( + OR - ) (DISCRETIONARY OR BLOCK AWARDS)	$0
2023	2021	DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, GOVERNMENT OF	899 NORTH CAPITOL ST NE	WASHINGTON	DC	20002	DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA	USA	Community Programs to Improve Minority Health	02	1	12/22/2022	ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPLEMENT ( + OR - ) (DISCRETIONARY OR BLOCK AWARDS)	$0
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2022	2021	DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, GOVERNMENT OF	899 NORTH CAPITOL ST NE	WASHINGTON	DC	20002	DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA	USA	Community Programs to Improve Minority Health	01	1	5/12/2022	ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPLEMENT ( + OR - ) (DISCRETIONARY OR BLOCK AWARDS)	$0
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $3,999,923 )
2021	2021	DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, GOVERNMENT OF	899 NORTH CAPITOL ST NE	WASHINGTON	DC	20002	DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA	USA	Community Programs to Improve Minority Health	00	1	6/18/2021	NEW	$3,999,923
														Subtotal = $3,999,923

Grand Total All Awards = $2,962,593

Top

All Categories

About

Search

Reports

Data Submission

Award Information

Advancing Health Literacy in the District of Columbia to Enhance Equitable Community Responses to COVID-19

Award Number: CPIMP211294

ORGANIZATION: OFFICE OF MINORITY HEALTH

OPDIV: DHHS/OS

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: DEMONSTRATION

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 07/01/2021

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 06/30/2024

Federal Websites

Department of Health & Human Services

HHS Operating Divisions

HHS Staff Divisions

Download A Document Viewer