Reducing COVID-19 Related Health Disparities in Detroit - Abstract For Detroit Health Department and the National Initiative to Address COVID-19 Health Disparities Among Populations at High-Risk and Underserved, Including Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations and Rural Communities As the City of Detroit continues to address COVID-19 within the population, many residents remain unvaccinated. In conjunction with the lower vaccination rates, Detroit continues to see cross sections of the population consisting of unvaccinated residents that are more susceptible to contracting COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses. The City of Detroit is a major urban hub consisting largely of lower-income, African-American individuals and families (approximately 80% of the population falls into this racial minority). Studies consistently show that African Americans identify as higher-risk populations susceptible of contracting COVID-19 due to underlying health conditions and lack of access to quality health care. In response to the issues surrounding COVID-19, The City of Detroit Health Department requested, and was granted, funding from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to address the increased demand for testing and vaccination due emerging variants of this Coronavirus. Detroit Health Department and the Community Health Corps initiated programs for immunization, testing, education, assistance, and much more to meet the increasing demands across the city. All City services under Health have integrated covid testing and vaccination into delivery sites and continue to shift and adapt to meet population needs and develop partnerships that will allow for ongoing endemic response to this virus. so that residents can receive testing and vaccine services in one location. All health locations offer covid testing and vaccine and work to ensure those with limited mobility can get access to the services. Our work focuses largely on the facilitation of services in the home, at various shelters, and in adult care facilities to address the most vulnerable of the population. Covid testing and continued vaccination, in conjunction with efforts to mitigate and prevent continued spread among the population, remain the focus of the efforts supported by the health disparities grant. Detroit Health is requesting a no-cost extension of the awarded grant to ensure that these key elements are addressed appropriately over the next 12 months as infrastructure and activities shift to longer-term focus areas and additional funding opportunities. Without this extension, a large portion of the grant dollars awarded would go underutilized because of challenges experienced in the operational rollout and staffing shortages. The extension, if granted, will allow for continued growth and support of programs meant to further health equity in COVID-19 management among the population and would allow a more adequate timeframe to address staffing and operational needs as the city transitions to longer-term solutions. The City of Detroit Health Department was awarded $8,181,872.00 dollars to address COVID-19 response activities for our most vulnerable populations. This no-cost extension request impacts the approved work plan addressing Strategy 1: Expand Mitigation and Prevention Resources to reduce COVID-19 Related Disparities of this program, and Strategy 4: Expand Mitigation and Prevention Resources to reduce COVID-19 Related Disparities.
