FPHNYC quickly mobilized the philanthropic community to help support these efforts through the Vaccine Equity Partner Engagement Project (VEPE). Combining public and private funding, VEPE engages community and faith-based organizations (CBO/FBOs) as outreach partners for reaching people in neighborhoods identified by the Taskforce on Racial Inclusion & Equity (TRIE) as those most impacted by COVID-19. These neighborhoods also have a history of disinvestment and other disparities impacting health and well-being.  CBO/FBOs have also been crucial partners in the Health Department’s efforts to combat vaccine misinformation by disseminating accurate information through leaders and representatives trusted by local communities. 

Black Health is an example of a CBO/FBO which developed a COVID-19 outreach and education program incorporating faith and community-based organizations and youth ambassadors. Recognizing that COVID-19 health outcomes are often contingent upon one’s health status, Black Health focused its wellness outreach, education, and resource distribution efforts to include COVID-19 testing and vaccinations at its health hub locations in Bronx, Brooklyn, and Manhattan.

Efforts by CBO/FBOs like Black Health have greatly narrowed the vaccination gap between communities in New York City. There have been positive changes in vaccination rates in over 96% of zip codes served by the VEPE’s CBO partners between March 2022 (when disaggregated data became available) and October 2022. In fact, concerted outreach to NYC Housing Authority (NYCHA) residents by CBOs in 2022 brought the vaccination rate for NYCHA residents above the city-wide average.

Along with launching VEPE, FPHNCY provides administrative and program management for The NYC Public Health Corps (PHC), a city-wide effort to expand the public health workforce by partnering with community groups. The PHC is active in over 75 NYC Zip Codes and since September 2021, it has connected more than 1,057,577 people to vaccination sites. 

Moreover, according to research published in JAMA Network Open, every $1 invested in New York City’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign yielded, “…an estimated $10.19 in cost savings from lower infection and mortality rates, fewer productivity losses, and averted health care use.” Quantitative an qualitative evidence of how New York City’s targeted vaccine efforts to reach traditionally underserved communities appears is discussed in NEJM Catalyst.

The impact of VEPE and the PHC extends beyond numbers and statistics. The NYC Community Voices: COVID-19 and Beyond project makes available firsthand experiences of COVID-19 vaccine confidence and community resilience from communities served by the PHC. At the project’s online portal, anyone can listen to the real voices of community members as they describe their experiences with COVID-19, community, and vaccination, as well as view the analysis of common themes present in the 850+ highlights from these conversations. The fear and frustration of the COVID-19 pandemic are evident, but so too is an appreciation of the progress made to protect communities and allow people to find new hope. 

Sharing his thoughts with the Community Voices project, Mohammed from Queens said, “I feel like if there was another pandemic in the future, we’d be better equipped in this situation.” 

Read more about NYC’s place-based approach to address COVID-19–related health disparities in the American Journal of Public Health (AJPH). For an in-depth review of NYC’s public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic, see this discussion paper at the National Academy of Medicine website. The AJPH has more on the essential role of community health workers in increasing vaccine uptake in NYC.

The post COVID-19 Vaccine Equity and Engagement Update appeared first on Fund for Public Health in New York, Inc..

On April 30, we hosted a Town Hall with New York City’s Commissioner of Health Dr. Dave A Chokshi and First Deputy Commissioner and Chief Equity Officer, Dr. Torian Easterling. Watch the recording of the Town Hall below, or read on for our top takeaways:  

For the latest COVID-19 data broken down by zip code demographics visit: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/covid/covid-19-data.page

The numbers make us hopeful

As more New Yorkers are getting vaccinated, we are seeing a decreasing trend of hospitalizations, deaths, and confirmed positive cases of COVID-19. Over 7.5 million doses have been administered and nearly 50% of New York City residents over the age of 18 are fully vaccinated. However, when you break this data down by zip code and demographic, it becomes clear that we still have a long way to go with our COVID-19 response and ensuring equitable access to vaccines.

We cannot mistake this progress for victory

Those New Yorkers who have struggled the most over the course of this pandemic, our Black and Latino communities, and people ages 85+, have some of the lowest rates of vaccination. The Bronx has the lowest vaccination rates of all the boroughs, but parts of southeastern Queens and east Brooklyn are not much better. A myriad of factors are contributing to these low rates, chief among them being historic injustice towards Black and Brown populations.

Vaccine Equity is our top priority

We have a four-pronged strategy, grounded in the data highlighted above on age, race, and place, to ensure that the vaccine is reaching those that have suffered the most: 

1. Access – ensure that getting the vaccine is as easy and convenient as possible, focusing on the neighborhoods identified by the Taskforce on Racial Inclusion and Equity (TRIE) which have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, systemic racism, and disinvestment
2. Uptake – strengthen confidence in the vaccine with clear messages and trusted messengers that address concerns, answer questions with empathy, and acknowledge people’s distrust of government and healthcare institutions
3. Outcomes – hold ourselves accountable by continually looking at the data and making sure that we are preventing further harm in marginalized communities
4. Dismantle – understand the underlying systems of oppression that have brought about the troubling data we are collecting and take steps to dismantle those systems so we make strides forward in health equity beyond the current public health crisis

How you can help

Dr. Chokshi closed the presentation by emphasizing the actions you can take to help us accomplish our shared goal of a healthier NYC:

• Support our Vaccine Equity Initiative to ensure vaccine access and uptake among New Yorkers who need it most. 
• Share our recently released a request for proposals with community organizations. We released this RFP on behalf of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to identify community partners to lead outreach, engagement and navigation in the 33 TRIE neighborhoods.
• Help us boost vaccine confidence by sharing your experience with friends, neighbors and loved ones. Here are some talking points for clinicians and healers that can also be used when talking to your own network: nyc.gov/VaccineTalks
• Request an in-home vaccination for a homebound community member: nyc.gov/vcc

We remain cautiously optimistic that the worst of the pandemic is behind us and that together we can build a new system that is more equitable and just for those most vulnerable among us. 

If you’d like to support the Health Department’s work, consider making a donation to the Fund for Public Health in NYC.

The post Progress and Challenges in Vaccinating NYC appeared first on Fund for Public Health in New York, Inc..

Peer support workers are individuals who draw on their own lived experiences overcoming mental health or substance use challenges. They are an important and growing portion of the mental health workforce. They embody hope and model recovery.  While traditionally, mental health challenges, substance use, or criminal justice-involvement is a barrier to employment, the peer workforce turns that logic on its head: lived experience is a requirement and an asset for the job. Research has shown that peer workers play a vital role in helping residents secure access to health care and to other services. As trusted members of the community, peer workers engage with their neighbors by listening, sharing their own personal stories of recovery, and assisting in accessing critical resources. And the job is a career ladder and leadership opportunity for the peer support workers.

In 2018, FPHNYC received a $300,000 grant from the Booth Ferris Foundation in support of the Consortium.  Many organizations are interested in hiring peers, but don’t know where to start. The Consortium helps providers assess their ability to integrate peers into their organizations and helps support their successful integration. Even organizations and treatment centers who already rely on peer workers often aren’t sure how to promote successful career paths for peer and community health workers. By providing training and technical assistance to organizations to develop a strong peer workforce, the Consortium helps fill these gaps.

In response to the remote work environment required by COVID-19 safety regulations, the Consortium has moved its community meetings online.  Community meetings had been attracting 10-20 in-person attendees during 2019, but in 2020 that number increased to an average of 70-80 participants.  The Consortium can now engage with the Peer support workforce across the state and even throughout the nation. The Consortium is the only entity to bring all these players together. 

COVID-19 and the resulting mental health epidemic have only increased the need for the work of The Consortium.  In addition to continuing support to the Peer workforce and their employers, FPHNYC is working with the Health Department to raise additional funding to:

• develop career pathways for existing Peers by working with employers, colleges, and certifying bodies to create advanced peer roles and credit-bearing programs;
• build community and mutual support networks within the Peer workforce;
• launch Housing Peers- individuals who’ve experienced homelessness who can support housing insecure individuals dealing with mental health challenges; and
• establish Justice Peers – individuals with a lived experience with the criminal legal system.

The Consortium is filling a critical need for the city at a time when resources devoted to mental health are needed most. It has already proved itself successful and creatively adaptive during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional funding will allow the Consortium to expand on its goals of promoting the Housing and Justice Peers initiatives and creating advance career and education pathways for Peers. To support this and other programs investing in the health and wellbeing of all New Yorkers donate here.

The post Mental Health as a “Parallel Pandemic” with COVID-19 appeared first on Fund for Public Health in New York, Inc..

Update: Read about the launch of the NYC COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Partner Engagement Project

The COVID-19 vaccines are a source of great hope after a long and terrible year. The next challenge is ensuring ALL New Yorkers have access to the vaccine and feel comfortable taking it. Communities of color have been hit the hardest by the pandemic for a variety of reasons including systemic racism, which also contributes to distrust of the vaccine. That’s why we’re  proud to partner with the New York City Commissioner of Health and FPHNYC Board Chair, Dr. Dave A. Chokshi, to support the Vaccine Equity Initiative.

This initiative will focus on ensuring access and uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine by all New Yorkers focusing on groups at greatest risk for exposure or severe illness. To ensure the vaccine is widely available, the City is scaling up distribution sites across all five boroughs as supply increases.

The City is also collecting and sharing data in real time including the number of doses reserved by the Federal government for NYC, number of doses received, and the number of doses administered. To ensure transparency and track progress, this information is updated daily and can be found on the Department of Health website.

Ensuring equitable access to the COVID-19 Vaccine

On January 12^th, Commissioner Chokshi provided City Council testimony on COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution and Accessibility in NYC where he detailed the plan for vaccinating  all New Yorkers against COVID-19. He emphasized the City’s unwavering commitment to equitable distribution, access and uptake by stating:

“We will support access to the COVID-19 vaccines by ensuring that we have enough vaccination locations in neighborhoods that have experienced ongoing disinvestment and inequities as well as high rates of COVID-19 infection and death.”

In addition, the City is hosting a series of Community Conversations in these same neighborhoods, listening to all and working with trusted messengers to reach more New Yorkers. Furthermore, vaccine site planning includes eliminating all barriers to access for people who are disabled, do not read or speak English, are undocumented, experience mental illness, and who struggle with substance use disorders or homelessness.

Supporting a Historic Moment

To support this effort, FPHNYC is raising private funds to enable the City to expand work with community partners, open vaccination locations in neighborhoods with high rates of COVID infection and death, strengthen confidence in the vaccine with clear messages and trusted messengers, counter misinformation, and offer patient navigators to help individuals manage the challenges of getting vaccinated.

We are in a race against time. It will take all of us: public health professionals, the philanthropic community, and the private sector working with local, state and federal government to ensure fair and equitable distribution and access to the COVID-19 vaccines. At FPHNYC, we are honored to be a part of this historic moment, working alongside one of the greatest Health Departments in the country.

If you would like to join us in the Vaccine Equity Initiative, you can contact us at info@fphnyc.org

The post Investing in COVID Vaccine Equity appeared first on Fund for Public Health in New York, Inc..

Our future news roundups will be more focused on certain topic areas and will appear here less frequently. We’re constantly working to update our content to as useful as possible, so contact us to let us know what you’d like to see on our blog going forward!

What Happened to U.S. Public Health?

America used to be a leading nation in public health. Now, we’re one of the only countries that has been unable to fully contain and slow the spread of COVID-19, while others surge ahead with lower cases and mortality rates. [via Jstor Daily]

When Disasters Overlap

As the pandemic rages, other disasters haven’t slowed either. This past week, COVID-19 was joined by Hurricanes Isaias and Hanna, wildfires, and severe thunderstorms and flooding. How will these disasters hinder efforts to emerge from the coronavirus? [via NYT]

How Safe Is Your School’s Reopening Plan? Here’s What To Look For

As schools brace the end of summer and the start of a new year, educators and administrators are working to creating the safest possible environments. While there’s no way to ensure “zero risk,” there are precautions we can take to minimize risk factors when heading back to school. [via NPR]

The Winter Will Be Worse

According to experts, winter will be worse for socializing, going outside, and potentially the spread of the pandemic itself. Without the ability to engage with others outdoors, and the heightened risk of socializing inside, the city braces as a colder season slowly approaches. [via The Atlantic]

Your Income Predicts How Well You Can Socially Distance

Those who have the money have hidden away in spacious homes and far from urban areas, comfortably working remotely. But that reality isn’t possible for lower-income families. [via WIRED]

The post COVID-19 News: Monday Update (8/10) appeared first on Fund for Public Health in New York, Inc..

Data Democratization: The Unsung Hero Of Health Equity

Data democratization is the idea of making data accessible to any reader. Helping people understand and digest data on the state of the pandemic can empower them to improve structures, overcome challenges and barriers, and increase their opportunities to thrive. [via Health Leads]

Study: Shelter-in-Place Orders Prevented Up to 370,000 Coronavirus Deaths

In California, the first shelter-in-place was put into effect on March 19. Many other states followed shortly, but statistics show that the few days that California had ahead of all other states prevented a sharp increase in cases that many other places faced. [via US News]

Tracing the Invisible Danger of Household Crowding

Though stay-at-home orders for most people was filled with a slight comfort of being in their own homes, many aren’t as lucky. When coming home means sharing a small, crowded space, a stay at home order puts more people at danger of spreading the coronavirus than not. [via Bloomberg]

The Coronavirus Infected Hundreds at a Georgia Summer Camp

A summer camp in Georgia became a petri dish for spreading COVID-19, as they took many precautions but stopped at requiring masks. Within a week one counselor was sent home with symptoms, and shortly afterwards nearly half of the campers and staff tested positive for the virus. [via New York Times]

The post COVID-19 News: Monday Update (8/3) appeared first on Fund for Public Health in New York, Inc..

#BumpDay Highlights Coronavirus And Racial Disparities In Pregnancy

In America, the death rate for pregnant women is increasing at a rate higher than every other developed country. This problem originates with structural racism, and worsens from health conditions and poverty. #BumpDay called attention to these unacceptable disparities. [via Forbes]

A State-by-State Look at Coronavirus in Prisons

The Marshall Project has been monitoring the rate of COVID-19 in prisons. By July 21, there were over 70,000 cases confirmed, and over 700 deaths, highlighting the impact of the virus in correctional facilities. [via The Marshall Project]

Rapid, Cheap, Less Accurate Coronavirus Testing Has A Place, Scientists Say

The next generation of testing will focus on speed. While a faster test might have somewhat lower accuracy, the ability to test large groups of people more frequently might be the only way we can move forward. [via NPR]

Everything You Wanted to Know About Antibody Testing

A helpful break down of what it really means to get an antibody test, and what a positive or negative result might imply. [via City Limits]

Medical Student Couldn’t Identify Symptoms on Darker Skin Tones, so He Wrote a Book

Malone Mukwende, a 20-year-old medical student, noticed a pattern of being unable to translate how symptoms looked on darker skin tones. Alongside two of his professors, he wrote and published Mind the Gap: A Handbook of Clinical Signs in Black and Brown Skin, the title inspired by the London subway systems tagline of “Mind the Gap” calling out that if they didn’t take immediate action it continue to put people in danger. [via The Washington Post]

The post COVID-19 News: Monday Update (7/27) appeared first on Fund for Public Health in New York, Inc..

The COVID-19 pandemic has been isolating for all of us. But for those who are looking to date, it’s been especially challenging. As New York City starts to reopen, folks can now start to dip their toes beyond the virtual dating pool, though the landscape has been transformed. 

People who are dating in-person or hooking up should still try to minimize close contact. COVID-19 continues to spread in our communities so, before you engage in any of the in-person activities outlined below, be sure to ask your date whether they’ve been tested for COVID-19 recently or if they’ve experienced any symptoms in the last 14 days. Confirm that they’ve recovered fully if they were diagnosed with COVID-19.

You might also want to ask if they’ve been in close contact recently with anyone who has tested positive or experienced symptoms. Note that asking about symptoms or recent contact is not a perfect way to know if someone has COVID-19. When in doubt, it’s safer to postpone your in-person date and consider other options (for example, video dates). Here are some additional guidelines for how you can minimize your risk if you’re putting yourself out there.

Getting Together Safely

Remember these four key actions if you’re getting together with others: stay home if you’re sick or are at higher risk for COVID-19 complications, maintain at least 6-feet of physical distance between yourself and others whenever possible, wear a face covering, and practice healthy hand hygiene (carry and use alcohol-based hand sanitizer).

Dates outside and away from crowds are preferable, since COVID-19 is more likely to spread when you meet indoors. This is a great opportunity to explore a local park or garden together. If you do decide to picnic, bring your own food, beverages, and utensils and don’t share to limit the risk of spreading the virus, since it’s still possible that either of you could be asymptomatic carriers. 

Dining Out

You can now meet up for a date at a restaurant and dine outside. If you’re planning to dine out, try to limit your time waiting by making a reservation in advance and looking at the menu online so you don’t spend too much time ordering. Wear a face covering whenever you’re not eating or drinking.

Remember that you can spread COVID-19 even if you do not have symptoms—wearing a face covering helps protect the people around you.Continue to practice healthy hand hygiene as well. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer when entering the restaurant, just before eating, and after leaving the restaurant. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after using the restroom.

While restaurants are responsible for ensuring tables are spaced to appropriately account for social distancing, do your part by keeping your distance from other diners and restaurant staff as much as possible. And remember, ordering for takeout is always a great option too, especially on a gorgeous summer evening!

Sex and Intimacy

You should limit close contact — including sex — with anyone outside your chosen household. If you do plan to have sex with other people, have as few partners as possible and pick partners you trust. Talk about COVID-19 risk factors, just as you would discuss pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), condoms, and other safer sex topics before you hook up.

Even if you have vetted your new potential partner and have discussed COVID-19, close contact like sex still brings added risks. The New York City Department of Health has released a fabulous guide to safer sex during the COVID-19 pandemic – be sure to read it before you get down.

You should also plan to get tested monthly for COVID-19, or within five days after a hookup even if you do not have symptoms. Anyone who is dating should be mindful of their personal risk and the risk they might pose to others in their circle, like parents or grandparents, when interacting with someone new.

We’re all going to have to get creative if we want to date in this new environment. Following this guidance can help reduce your personal risk of getting sick, and protect that new special someone, whoever they may be.

The Fund for Public Health is the nonprofit partner to the New York City Health Department. Learn more about our work fighting the coronavirus and other epidemics.

The post If You’re Starting to Date, Stay Safe with These COVID-19 Guidelines appeared first on Fund for Public Health in New York, Inc..

Violence is a Public Health Issue That Requires Community Driven Solutions

Violence is an epidemic with serious health consequences. It’s only health epidemic that is not managed by the health sector. And yet there are evidence-based health approaches to reducing violence that do not involve enforcement as the first line of response. [via The Guardian]

Disease-Carrying Mosquitoes Fly Free as Health Departments Focus on Coronavirus

In any other summer, Health Departments would have the staff and capacity to track and capture disease-carrying mosquitoes. This year, because of COVID-19, many departments are stretched too thin to provide this essential service. [via Kaiser Health News]

Swimming Upstream in Search of Influence

There are both cultural and political challenges that lead to a lack of investment and increased distrust in public health. This piece from Health Affairs breaks down those challenges and offers solutions for how we might celebrate the value of public health more visibly. [via Health Affairs]

Follow These Big Four Strategies to Stay Safe While Enjoying NYC’s Reopening

As New York continues to reopen, it’s important to follow the guidelines on how to keep yourself and your loved ones safe. We were happy to partner with DoNYC to share the “Big Four” strategies to protect yourself from the coronavirus. [via FPHNYC Blog]

Latinx and Black Neighborhoods are Struggling with Testing Disparities

Lack of widespread testing and long waits at testing centers are impacting the communities already being hit the hardest by the coronavirus. [via AP]

The post COVID-19 News: Monday Update (7/20) appeared first on Fund for Public Health in New York, Inc..

As New York City moves into Phase 3 of reopening, many of us are rejoicing in the city returning to some semblance of normalcy. Going out for a drink or dining “al sidewalk” are the little luxuries we’ve been craving after a dark and isolating few months. But while you can, and should, enjoy the moments that herald NYC’s coming back to life, it’s also important to remember that there’s still a pandemic going on. Here are the top four actions you can take to keep yourself safe from the coronavirus.

Wear a Mask

Yes we know it’s getting hot out there, but wearing a mask significantly reduces the risk of transmitting or catching the coronavirus. When you’re out in public and unable to keep six feet of distance between yourself and others, it’s essential that you keep your nose and mouth covered. This protects you as well as others who are more vulnerable, since it’s possible you could be an asymptomatic carrier of the virus. Of course, at a restaurant, you will have to remove your mask to eat and drink.

A face covering can be a scarf, a bandana, or other cloth. Experiment with different coverings to determine what works best for you with the heat. You can also try to limit excursions to early in the morning or later in the evening, when it’s cooler outside.

Wash Your Hands

Wash your hands regularly with soap and water or use hand sanitizer. Wash your hands whenever you touch or come into contact with items or surfaces outside of your home. Clean frequently touched surfaces regularly and avoid touching your face with unwashed hands.

Practice Social Distancing

Stay at least six feet away from other people as much as possible. Restaurants are required to maintain this distance between tables. If you’re at the park or in another public space, do your best to keep six feet of distance between you and anyone not in your immediate household or social bubble (which should be 10 friends or fewer).

Stay Home if You’re Sick

If you are sick, it’s essential that you stay home to prevent spreading the virus. Do not leave your house unless it’s for essential medical care or essential errands. If possible, ask a friend or family member to conduct those errands for you and do contact-free drop offs at your apartment or home. Since anyone you’ve had close contact with is likely infected as well, it is best to let them know and to advise them to quarantine.

Navigating Socializing This Summer

Your best bet is to avoid big gatherings and try to gather outside when possible. Bring your own chairs and blankets, and be creative with activities that don’t require physical contact, like charades.

It’s hard to resist the itch to get outside and start socializing again. But as New Yorkers, we’ve got to step up and keep each other safe. By adopting these changes, we can continue to move forward towards a safer and healthier city, while also getting the recreation we crave and need for our mental health. So get out there and enjoy, but be safe while you do it!

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