Community Health Navigator Model Expansion - Kent County Health Department?s Community Health Navigator Model Expansion will focus on the urban geographic areas of Kent County to engage community representatives in the development and delivery of COVID-19 prevention messaging through a community health navigator model; the project will increase the availability, acceptability, and ultimately the application of prevention strategies to address the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on racial and ethnic minority populations. The Community Health Navigator Model Expansion proposal will be an extension of West Michigan Asian American Association?s Patient Navigation System. KCHD will partner with community-based organizations to support a Community Health Worker position to develop culturally and linguistically appropriate messages and deliver these messages through trusted community organization and media outlets. KCHD's identified community-based organization partners include the Hispanic Center of Western Michigan, Grand Rapids African American Health Institute, Black Impact Collaborative, Bethany Christian Services, Treetops Collective, West Michigan Asian American Association, and Eastern Michigan University's Center for Health Disparities Innovation and Studies. KCHD?s proposal targets racial and ethnic minority populations residing in zip codes including, but not limited to, 49509, 49519, 49508, 49512, 49507 and 49503; primarily comprising the African-American/Black community, Hispanic/Latino community, American Indian/Alaska Native community, Asian American community, and refugee populations. The project has (4) primary objectives: 1) to develop a network of 10-12 embedded within community organization partners, 2) increase bilateral communication on COVID-19 and other public health issues through community-directed channels, 3) amplify COVID-19 messaging through KCHD?s existing Community Connector network, and 4) build capacity within racial and ethnic minority communitie
s on public health topics, navigating community resources, and training to become a community health worker, if desired. The model implemented by the West Michigan Asian American Association has a demonstrated record of success, driving up vaccination rates to the point where the Asian Community is the only racial and ethnic population in Kent County where equity has been achieved in vaccine administration.
