Skip to Main Content

March 12, 2021
Health Law Weekly

HHS Announces $250 Million in Grants to Advance COVID-19 Safety, Vaccinations in Underserved Populations

  • March 12, 2021

The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health (OMH) is accepting applications through April 20 for funding under the administration’s new Advancing Health Literacy to Enhance Equitable Community Responses to COVID-19 initiative.

As part of the initiative, the administration plans to invest $250 million to encourage COVID-19 safety and vaccination among underserved populations.

OMH is offering health literacy grants to localities that partner with community-based organizations to reach racial and ethnic minority, rural, and other vulnerable populations, the agency said.

Grant recipients must develop a disparity impact statement and create and operationalize a health literacy plan.

"Information is power, especially the ability to understand and use information to support better health. Whether it helps us understand where to get tested or the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccine, information is a crucial part of keeping families and communities safe," said Acting Assistant Secretary for Health RADM Felicia Collins, MD. "Nowhere is this more important than in communities hit hardest by the pandemic, especially racial and ethnic minority communities and other vulnerable populations."

 

ARTICLE TAGS