Thursday, April 10, 2025
4/10/2025
Multnomah County COVID-19 Health Disparities - Multnomah County Health Department (MCHD) will address local COVID-19-related health and social disparities and advance health equity by expanding capacity to prevent and control COVID-19 infection/transmission among Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities, as well as other higher risk and underserved populations. MCHD will expand local capacity by increasing the public health workforce within the department and community to implement activities under CDC-RFA-OT21-2103 Strategies 3 and 4. Strategy 3 (Build, leverage, and expand infrastructure support for COVID-19 prevention and control) will include two activities. 1. Updating and expanding Multnomah County COVID-19 BIPOC Plan to support communities most at risk during current and future emergency responses. This activity will increase MCHD and partner infrastructure to update and expand the current BIPOC plan to a) integrate lessons learned since June 2020; b) include strategies for those being impacted by long COVID-19 and other health and social conditions that increase COVID-19 risks/impacts; and c) include plans for future emergency responses. 2. Expand current MCHD and community partner workforce capacity to assess and address the needs of communities disproportionately affected by COVID-19. This activity will fund and hire staff to expand public health infrastructure and support for community partners; continue to contract with partners from these communities so they can support public health infrastructure and the Community Health Worker workforce; and leverage other federal, state, and local funding to fill gaps outside of CDC funding. This ongoing capacity will enable MCHD and partner organizations to continue to assess and address local needs with an equity-driven approach. Strategy 4 (Mobilize partners and collaborators to advance health equity and address social determinants of health as they relate to COVID-19 health disparities) will also include two activities. 1. Implementing health literacy and communications to reach diverse audiences. This activity will be co-implemented with partners to reach multiple BIPOC communities in linguistically accessible formats; coordinated with MCHD's CDC REACH COVID-19/Flu Supplemental funding; and coordinated with Oregon Health Authority to assure activities are not duplicative and share lessons learned and materials. 2. Increase partner capacity to disseminate scientifically accurate, culturally and linguistically responsive information. This activity will provide capacity to partners for health literacy activities to facilitate access to health-related and social services. These strategies and activities will address all three CDC-RFA-OT21-2103 outcomes. 1. Reduced COVID-19-related health disparities. 2. Improved and increased testing and contact tracing among populations at higher risk and that are underserved. 3. Improved local health department capacity and services to prevent and control COVID-19 infection/transmission) among populations at higher risk and that are underserved.
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).