NAHMA HUD Update: How to Participate in HUD/HHS Vaccination Efforts

May 10, 2021

Dear NAHMA Members,

Last week, HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge and HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra announced a joint-agency effort “to increase access to COVID-19 prevention and treatment services, including testing and vaccines, among disproportionately affected communities, including among HUD-assisted households and people experiencing homelessness.” This federal partnership provides a clear opportunity for multifamily property owners to establish or further expand contacts with local community health centers to improve vaccine confidence and access. Towards that end, please find below a few strategies and tips that can benefit both landlords and residents:

HUD and HHS's Joint Effort for Local Housing/Health Partnerships

Last week, HUD Secretary Fudge and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Becerra announced a partnership to ensure that the national COVID-19 response delivers equitable and comprehensive care to those experiencing disproportionate impact, including HUD-assisted households.

“Many of the people that HUD serves are among the most vulnerable in our society. They’re seniors, they’re people with disabilities, they’re people of color from households of modest means, and they’re people who are experiencing homelessness,” said HUD Secretary Fudge.

This federal partnership provides a clear opportunity for multifamily property owners to establish or further expand contacts with local community health centers to improve vaccine confidence and access. Here are a few strategies that can benefit residents:

• Conduct targeted outreach to residents regarding COVID-19 vaccine efficacy and safety to encourage all eligible residents obtain COVID-19 tests and vaccines
• Leverage staff to assist with registering and scheduling COVID-19 tests and vaccine appointments
• Facilitate on-site vaccine clinics at your properties
• Assist residents with transportation as needed to vaccine sites, including people who have limited mobility
• Provide information regarding access to comprehensive primary health care services
• Ensure that communications are provided in plain language, multilingual as appropriate, and in formats that are accessible to people with disabilities.

Read Secretary Fudge and Secretary Becerra’s joint letter to community health centers and HUD housing and service providers, and the fact sheet about the effort.

Host a COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence or Access Event!

Secretary Fudge visits a popup FQHC vaccine clinic at Newark Housing Authority with Saint James Health

With the onset of warmer weather, it's the perfect time to start planning a COVID-19 vaccine event in your community! To support your efforts, HUD invites you to a special launch webinar on Wednesday, May 19 from 2 pm ET.

Discover Vaccine Partnership Opportunities Near You

HUD has produced an interactive mapping tool to support your COVID-19 vaccination efforts with Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs).

What can you do with this new mapping tool?

• Locate the FQHCs in and near your community
• Identify Public Housing and Multifamily properties within FQHC service areas
• Focus on priority areas with 20% of HUD-assisted residents 8+ miles away
• Leverage HUD place-based programs to better connect with FQHCs

Looking to partner with a non-FQHC vaccine provider? Check out Vaccines.gov and vacunas.gov, featuring 50,000 vaccination sites across the country, including primary care physician, federal pharmacy partners, state sites, and FEMA sites. Locations are updated daily.

Join our NEW COVID-19 Webinars!

The Department is hosting COVID-19 webinars, focusing on Housing/Health Partnerships, the COVID-19 Vaccine Challenge, and Community Health Workers (CHWs). Please note that capacity is limited and pre-registration is required to attend.

Health Center 101: Building Housing/Health Partnerships

Wednesday, May 12, 2021 | 2:00 – 3:30 pm (ET)

Want to bring more health resources to your community? Whether you've been working with your community health partner for a day or a decade, learn the tricks of the trade for more effective health/housing partnerships. Registration link

COVID-19 Vaccine Challenge: Tools and Resources

Wednesday, May 19, 2021 | 2:00 – 3:30 pm (ET)

Building on the joint HUD-HHS Partnership, presenters will highlight ways you can further your COVID-19 vaccination effort, including mapping tools, transportation opportunities, and examples of successful COVID-19 vaccination partnerships. Registration link

The Missing Link: Community Health Workers

Wednesday, May 26, 2021 | 2:00 – 3:30 pm (ET)

Looking for trusted messengers in your community? They've been there all along! Resident champions bridge the gap between health and housing: see how Community Health Workers can boost your vaccine efforts! Registration link

Learn how to talk about COVID-19 vaccines: Sign up for a Bootcamp

With vaccine supply increasing, each vaccinated person helps us move past the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 vaccines are new, and it's normal for people to have questions about them. You can help build vaccine confidence by learning to talk about vaccines.

By signing up for our bootcamp, you will learn how to:

• Listen to questions with empathy
• Ask open-ended questions to explore concerns
• Share trusted information
• Help find reasons to get vaccinated
• Help make vaccination happen

Click here to view the CDC's 1-minute YouTube video to learn about COVID-19 Vaccine Conversations.