WASHINGTON, DC – The Health Action Alliance today announced a new initiative aimed at empowering workforce populations that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 with special tools, training and resources to help address their unique needs and questions about vaccines and improve access to vaccinations.
The Alliance is offering free training and support to leaders of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), affinity groups, and informal employee networks to improve vaccine education and outreach, remove barriers to vaccinations and make it easier for workers to get vaccinated when they become eligible. You can access the resources
here.
“Throughout the pandemic, communities of color have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 at every stage, yet they’re receiving vaccines at dramatically lower rates compared to the general population,” said Julie Morita, MD, executive vice president at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. “Strengthening outreach and improving vaccine access for Black, Hispanic, American Indian and Alaska Native communities is critical to our nation’s health and economic recovery. The Health Action Alliance is proud to launch this comprehensive program to help companies remove barriers to vaccination and support workforce populations that may have questions or challenges accessing COVID-19 vaccines.”
As part of this new program, the Alliance will host free weekly workshops and monthly educational events designed specifically for ERG and DEI leaders. Program participants will be trained to deliver vaccine education sessions at their company, engage peers in fact-based conversations, support employees who may need extra help scheduling vaccine appointments or accessing vaccines, and working with management to prioritize the needs and concerns of disproportionately impacted communities. Participants will also receive free tools to support their outreach, including a slide presentation, a facilitator’s guide, a conversation guide, tip sheets, social media tools, population-specific fact sheets and more.
The first weekly workshop will be hosted this Wednesday, April 7, 2021 at 3:00 PM ET. Participants can register for free
here.
By engaging and supporting ERGs and business leaders from underrepresented communities, the Alliance aims to improve vaccine access, accelerate the pace of vaccinations, and contribute to a stronger, healthier recovery for everyone.
