Kaiser Permanente Provides Equitable Access to COVID-19 Vaccines

Walnut Creek CA

13 July, 2021

5:04 PM

Description

Kaiser Permanente is increasing access to the COVID-19 vaccine through key partnerships with local community and government organizations as part of an effort to vaccinate priority populations and those most affected by the pandemic. By working to remove barriers to vaccinations, Kaiser Permanente is helping to ensure people have convenient access to the vaccine, particularly within neighborhoods and underserved communities. Kaiser Permanente is providing strategic support to community clinics to increase vaccination rates and is enlisting trusted messengers in the community to deliver information about vaccine safety and effectiveness. Kaiser Permanente physician experts are also speaking to community groups to build confidence in the vaccine and address vaccination equity gaps. Kaiser Permanente has invested $5 million in Northern California to support the equitable roll out of vaccine in the communities we serve. In the Diablo service area, more than $250,000 is supporting the following vaccination efforts: Contra Costa Health Services, a Contra Costa County department that provides health care services to residents, particularly those who are most vulnerable to health problems. This program will engage community members to become adult community ambassadors who will be deployed to areas with low vaccination rates and high Covid-19 rates. Contra Costa Regional Health Foundation, a nonprofit organization that works with Contra Costa Health Services to improve the health, safety, and wellness of Contra Costa County residents. This grant will engage multiple community and faith-based leaders to support Covid-19 outreach, communication and registration. Hijas del Campo, a Contra Costa County grassroots organization that helps migrant and seasonal farm workers improve their health, safety, working conditions and quality of life. This initiative will support community-based pop-up or mobile clinic collaborations through outreach, navigation, and registration support for seasonal agricultural workers. La Clinica de la Raza, an organization that provides multi-lingual, accessible, full-scope health services to East Bay residents, no matter their insurance status or income. With the support of Promotoras, La Clinica staff will conduct outreach and health education services through presentations, events, social media and appointment registration assistance in order to increase vaccination rates among impacted communities. Contra Costa Health Services Chief Equity Officer Gilbert Salinas is excited about the community partnership with Kaiser Permanente and proud of the new community ambassador program. So far, there are 17 enthusiastic ambassadors, three program coordinators and a program manager. "Our ambassadors are boots-on-the-ground members of our community who are committed to saving lives," Salinas said. "They have a far reach into historically marginalized communities, and they are committed to the equitable allocation of COVID-19 vaccines." White and higher-income Americans are more likely to have received a vaccine than African American, Hispanic, and lower-income groups. A recent study by the Kaiser Family Foundation (no affiliation with Kaiser Permanente) found one-third of unvaccinated Hispanic adults say they want a vaccine as soon as possible, about twice as many as unvaccinated Black and White adults. However, Hispanics also report more barriers to getting vaccinated including fears about missing work, not being able to get the vaccine from a trusted place or difficulty traveling to a vaccination site. Kaiser Permanente Northern California is committed to increasing vaccination rates by hosting town halls to dispel vaccine myths and educate the community on the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine, working with faith-based organizations to raise awareness about the vaccine and to provide access to vaccinations in homeless encampments, hard-to-reach neighborhoods and senior populations with barriers to getting vaccinated. Kaiser Permanente's approach to the allocation of COVID-19 vaccine is consistent with the organization's strong legacy of championing diversity, equity, and inclusion. "We are committed to removing barriers to vaccination, so everyone has access to the vaccine in a timely manner," said Chris Boyd, senior vice president and area manager for Kaiser Permanente's Diablo service area. "We are proud to be working with our community partners to focus on the equitable distribution of the vaccine, so that together we can bring this pandemic to an end."