The Department of Public Health announced that they are partnering with Access Health CT to increase vaccine accessibility to people in Connecticut.
A DPH spokesperson said the effort is done to increase access to communities high on the social vulnerability index.
Access Health is set to hire over 70 staff members to focus on outreach efforts. They said job opportunities have been posted here.
Access Health will amend their current contract with Faneuil, Inc. to support call center services which will support the Vaccine Appointment Assist Line. They will also amend their contract with Grossman Solutions for outreach to raise awareness and encourage Connecticut residents to get the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the DPH.
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“Our continued goal is to ensure that every resident of Connecticut who wants a shot, gets a shot, especially our residents in underserved and vulnerable communities,” said Acting Public Health Commissioner Deidre Gifford. “Access Health CT is a natural partner in this effort, with existing resources, infrastructure and experience in conducting outreach efforts in hard-to-reach, underserved communities."
The partnership will include a door-to-door canvassing program which will focus on knocking on doors in areas of need and getting residents scheduled to get the vaccine.
"Soon, we will be able to deploy outreach workers to go door-to-door in our high SVI communities to talk directly with residents about the importance of vaccination, what to expect before during and after vaccination and to assist with information on available local clinics and access to transportation to those clinics," Gifford said.
“As the COVID-19 public health emergency endures, Access Health CT continues to remain focused on the health and wellbeing of Connecticut residents,” said Chief Executive Officer at Access Health CT, James Michel. “This means getting the word out about the COVID-19 vaccine to communities statewide that need it most. Door-to-door canvassing along with other outreach efforts will help ensure Connecticut residents, especially those hard to reach communities have vaccination facts and resources to enable them to make informed choices about their health.”
