Flu LEAD (Linkages to End Access Disparities):
A Pilot Project to Increase Influenza Vaccination Coverage among HUD-Assisted Residents
Background: In this unprecedented time of pandemic response, coupled with the upcoming influenza season, prevention of respiratory disease transmission is a top public health priority. Increasing influenza vaccination coverage is a critical strategy for reducing respiratory disease burden, maintaining healthcare system capacity, and protecting populations at greater risk of negative outcomes. Influenza vaccination is especially important for residents for HUD-assisted housing, including racial and ethnic minorities, seniors and disabled populations, and those with underlying conditions, who are at elevated risk for complications from both influenza and COVID-19.
Program Description:
Partnership between U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to increase influenza vaccination coverage among residents of Public Housing Agencies (PHAs).
Goal: Increase site-wide flu vaccine coverage by 50%1 during the 2020-2021 influenza season.
Objectives:
- Increase influenza vaccination coverage among HUD-assisted residents beginning in Fall 2020.
- Enhance health and health resiliency of residents of HUD-assisted communities.
- Foster partnerships between HUD-assisted communities and local HRSA-funded health centers.
Participants: Select PHAs and HRSA-funded health centers that are co-located, nearby, or serve common residents and patients. Federal partners include HRSA’s Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC), HUD’s Office of Public and Indian Housing (PIH), and the Ambulatory Team of the COVID-19 Healthcare Resilience Working Group (HRWG).
Locations: HUD-assisted communities, served by 350+ HRSA-funded health centers (HC), including 107 Public Housing Primary Care (PHPC) awardees, and managed by hundreds of PHAs and multifamily owners across the country, building upon HUD’s place-based supportive services programs:
- Jobs Plus: 45 sites
- Choice Neighborhoods: 34 sites
- EnVision Centers: 51 sites
- Resident Opportunities and Self-Sufficiency (ROSS): 350 PHAs
- Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS): 700 PHAs
Key Elements:
Successful sites will leverage all aspects of HUD’s place-based programs, including:
- Partnership facilitators, such as program managers and service coordinators
- Resident advocates, such as Community Coaches and community health workers
- Meeting space, such as community centers and service sites
Flu LEAD Project Activities: A two-phased approach to support access to seasonal influenza vaccination; and expand the HUD-HRSA partnership to achieve the shared goal of improving community health and resiliency in HUD-assisted communities
Phase 2 / Ongoing
- Promote vaccine awareness among HUD-assisted communities, including the importance of childhood vaccines and COVID-19 vaccine.
- Promote awareness and linkage to COVID-19 testing, therapeutics, and vaccines.
- Identify/connect individuals in need of primary care and preventive services with local health centers
Outreach: HUD will promote Flu LEAD through its network of 1,000+ HUD Strong Families sites, by engaging with Resident Boards and community leaders, and connecting with the Service Coordinators in Multifamily Housing (SCMH) Program for the elderly and disabled.
HRWG Activities:
1. Support site-level mapping of Health Centers and PHAs
2. Lead development of a coordinated outreach campaign to HRSA-funded health centers and PHAs, underscoring the importance of flu vaccination as a COVID-19 response measure to maintain healthcare system capacity
3. Convene a webinar series highlighting successful collaboration models
4. Collect and offer appropriate resources and materials to support PHAs and health centers.
Timeline:
2020 Early August – Engage stakeholders, complete site-level mapping, and develop coordinated campaign
2020 Late August – Launch education campaign, including resources, webinars, and newsletters
2020 September – Deliver ongoing activities to support vaccination
HRWG Ambulatory Team Primary Contacts:
Jason Amirhadji, Office of Public and Indian Housing, HUD, Jason.Y.Amirhadji@hud.gov
Karen Ingvoldstad, Bureau of Primary Health Care, HRSA, kingvoldstad@hrsa.gov
Resources:
Flu LEAD (Linkages to End Access Disparities) Informational Session
Wednesday, August 26, 2020
Recording | Slides
During this webinar, members of the Health Care Resilience Work Group (HRWG), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) offered an informational session to describe the Flu LEAD (Linkages to End Access Disparities) new pilot project from HUD and HRSA. The goal of the pilot is to increase influenza vaccination coverage among residents of Public Housing Agencies (PHAs), to reduce the risk of respiratory disease transmission, and improve access to healthcare and health resiliency among residents of HUD-assisted communities. During the session, the pilot was described in detail, potential Health Center (HC) participants were identified and questions from HC participants were answered. Direct contact information related to the project are provided in slide deck.
To view HRSA/BPHC Influenza Vaccination Technical Assistance Materials for Health Centers, click here.
To view a list of Influenza Vaccination Resources created by NCHPH, click here.
Flu LEAD: A HUD/HRSA Collaboration to Increase Influenza Vaccination Coverage Among HUD-Assisted Residents
Tuesday, September 15, 2020
Recording/Resources
The webinar is for current pilot project participants, and health centers interested in partnering with a public housing agency.
Sources:
1 Healthy People 2020 goal IID-12.11. Retrieved from https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/immunization-and-infectious-diseases/objectives