Community Outreach Pilot Project Helps Bring COVID-19 Vaccines to Latinx Community
WHP staff, WCHD staff and volunteers, and TMAZ owner working the COVID-19 pop-up clinic at TMAZ Taqueria
The Community Outreach Pilot Project was a Michigan state-wide effort to vaccinate those most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this project, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) awarded additional COVID-19 vaccine allocations to healthcare providers to help vaccinate vulnerable and at-risk communities during a time when vaccine supply was still limited. WCHD applied for and was awarded 2,500 additional COVID-19 vaccines by MDHHS in March 2021. WCHD partnered with community organizations to quickly administer the vaccines to individuals who had chronic medical conditions, were aged 50 or above, or living in high priority areas. To identify high priority areas, WCHD located areas with a high Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), many of which were communities of color. SVI is a tool that uses census data to identify places where a community may have more difficulty preventing human suffering and financial loss in a disaster. The Latinx community was identified as one of the high priority groups to serve through this pilot project.
Pop-Up Clinic at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church
As part of the Pilot Project, WCHD held a COVID-19 vaccine clinic for the Latinx community at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. Although this was a step in the right direction, community organizations, such as Mexiquenses en Michigan and Washtenaw Interfaith Coalition for Immigrant Rights (WICR), feared that WCHD’s COVID-19 scheduling system would be a barrier to vaccine access. Latinx community organizations met with Dr. Marquez, Medical Director of WCHD, and voiced their concerns. The exchange of conversations evolved into a Latinx community collaborative with a common goal of increasing COVID-19 vaccinations rates among the Latinx community. Dr. Marquez reached out to Spring Quiñones, Bilingual Outreach Coordinator with Washtenaw Health Plan (WHP) to help coordinate these efforts. WHP has a strong foundation of trust with the Latinx community and acted as the bridge between the Latinx community, community organizations, and WCHD. Spring Quiñones was able to facilitate partnerships with Buenos Vecinos, Grupo COSECHA, Mexiquenses en Michigan, St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, University of Michigan School of Public Health (UM-SPH), Washtenaw Interfaith Coalition for Immigrant Rights (WICR), and Latinx community members to vaccinate the Latinx community in a short timeframe.
Working together, these partners used their vast networks to promote the pop-up clinic and answer the community’s questions. For example, Dr. Marquez and Spring Quiñones used Facebook Live to host an open Q&A session for Spanish-speaking individuals. Many Spanish-speaking individuals were able receive answers to their questions regarding COVID-19, COVID-19 tests, and COVID-19 vaccines in a timely manner which helped reduce confusion, fear, and anxiety.
Each partner organization contributed to the success of the pop-up clinic at St. Francis:
- Buenos Vecinos and Grupo COSECHA widely promoted the event via their networks and platforms
- Latinx community members served as interpreters and navigators during the day of the COVID-19 clinic.
- Mexiquenses en Michigan promoted the event via their social media platforms, registered individuals for the COVID-19 clinic, and provided certified Spanish healthcare interpreters and bilingual volunteers the day of the clinic
- St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church hosted the clinic
- UM-SPH provided educational materials in Spanish
- WCHD provided nurses to administer the COVID-19 vaccine and promoted the event
- WHP promoted the event and organized all partnering organizations
The COVID-19 vaccination clinic was livestreamed on Facebook by Spring, who is a trusted member in the community and has a substantial Latinx following. Staff and volunteers at the clinic were also from the community, bilingual, and highly knowledgeable. Therefore, individuals were more receptive to the information that was being given to them.
WCHD staff and Mexiquenses volunteers working the St. Francis COVID-19 vaccination clinic
Making Access Easy
Various barriers were addressed and removed to ensure that individuals not only attended the vaccination clinic, but also felt welcomed and respected. The clinic was held in a central and well-known location (St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church), and transportation was provided if needed. Additionally, all registration forms and educational materials were in English and Spanish, and on-site interpreters were available. Volunteers from Mexiquenses, WICR, and WHP created their own call center and scheduling process so that the registration process was accessible to Latinx individuals. Individuals did not have to be technologically savvy to sign-up and were able to register for a vaccine appointment by phone.
Image created by members of Mexiquenses en Michigan to depict the registration process for Latinx-targeted COVID-19 vaccination clinics. Image provided by Maria Militzer.
Individuals did not have to take off too much time from other responsibilities, such as work or childcare, which made the clinic more accessible. Everyone was greeted as soon as they walked in the clinic and were treated like family. This helped build trusting relationships between Latinx individuals, WCHD, and community organizations. This coordinated collaboration resulted in 190 individuals receiving a COVID-19 vaccine!
Results of the Community Outreach Pilot Project
Through the Community Outreach Pilot Project, WCHD administered a total of 2,084 COVID-19 vaccines. Of those vaccines, 11.47% were received by people who identified as Hispanic/Latinx. This was a huge accomplishment, as this vaccination rate was three times the what the WCHD COVID-19 vaccination rate for Latinx populations had been up to that point.
WCHD administered COVID-19 vaccines by ethnicity at the end of Community Outreach Pilot Project timeframe
After the Community Outreach Pilot Project
This model helped pave the way for future Latinx outreach efforts. As vaccines became more readily available, WCHD began hosting walk-up COVID-19 pop up clinics (no appointment needed) using a similar model as described above. Mexiquenses en Michigan, along with other community partners, continued to seek a more inclusive Latinx outreach approach. This encouraged WCHD to keep listening to the needs of the Latinx community and work collaboratively with community partners to find viable solutions. As a result, WCHD expanded their outreach efforts. COVID-19 pop-up clinics were now occurring more frequently at a variety of Latinx-centered locations such as restaurants, mobile home communities, and shopping areas. WCHD’s new Clinical RV made it easier to transport the supplies needed for these clinics, and the existing community partnerships made it easier to promote and staff the clinics.
WCHD’s new clinical RV
WCHD Pop-Up Clinics
COVID-19 pop-up clinics began offering a variety of free services in addition to vaccinations, including: COVID-19 at-home rapid test kits, health insurance enrollment, social service program enrollment, food distribution, and cleaning supplies distribution. Expanding community partnerships with organizations like MI Community Engagement Alliance Against COVID-19 Disparities (MI CEAL) and Packard Health were essential because these partners helped deliver these additional services to the Latinx community.
MI CEAL volunteers distributing supply bags and Panera lunches to individuals at the COVID-19 pop-up clinic
Latinx-targeted COVID-19 pop-up clinics changed to allow for more scheduling flexibility. New evening and Friday clinics have been very successful. Furthermore, WCHD now staffs at least one bilingual individual at every Latinx-targeted COVID-19 clinic to ensure on-site interpretation. These outreach strategies have been very beneficial to the Latinx community and are thanks to the persistent efforts of community partners. In fact, in a short span of two summer months (July and August 2021), WCHD administered over 300 COVID-19 vaccinations to Latinx-identifying individuals through COVID-19 pop-up clinics.
Improved Vaccination Rates
Pins given to vaccinated individuals at COVID-19 pop-up clinics; the pins were in Spanish and read, "I received my COVID-19 vaccine!”
As of September 20th, 2021, 5.7% of COVID-19 vaccines given by the Health Department have gone to Latinx folks. It is important to note that this would not have been possible without the resilience of community partners who work with WCHD to advance health equity.
These Latinx outreach efforts have been paramount in building trust, creating coordinated efforts with community partners, and keeping our communities safe. The vaccine pop-up clinics have helped WCHD build new relationships in the community. Community members felt seen by WCHD and partner organizations. Community partners helped WCHD grow by pushing them to try new things. This has resulted in an increase of COVID-19 vaccination rates among vulnerable populations which keeps Washtenaw safe.
For all COVID-19 vaccine related questions, such as where, when, and how you or a loved one may obtain the vaccine, please visit the Washtenaw County Health Department Website. There, you will also find vaccine data and vaccine FAQs.
September 2021
Written by Guadalupe Cervantes, Community Health Educator with WCHD