National initiative to address covid-19 health disparities among populations at high-risk and underserved, including racial and ethnic minority populations and rural communities - the purpose of…

National initiative to address covid-19 health disparities among populations at high-risk and underserved, including racial and ethnic minority populations and rural communities - the purpose of this funding is to address covid-19-related health disparities and advance health equity within the state of colorado, as part of a CDC-coordinated national-level effort. This funding will expand the capacity and services within the colorado department of public health and environment (cdphe) to prevent, control, and minimize impact/burden of covid-19 infection and transmission among populations at higher risk and that are underserved, including racial and ethnic minority groups and people living in rural communities. The intended outcomes from this funding are to 1) reduced covid-19-related health disparities in the state of colorado, 2) improved and increased covid-19 prevention and mitigation strategies among populations at higher risk and that are underserved, including racial and ethnic minority groups and people living in rural communities, and 3) improved colorado?s state health department?s capacity and services to prevent and control covid-19 infection (or transmission) among populations at higher risk and that are underserved, including racial and ethnic minority groups and people living in rural communities.cdphe?s proposed plan includes activities across all 4 of CDC?s strategies to reach populations experience disproportionate burden of covid-19 impact (briefly: strategy 1: expand mitigation and prevention resources; strategy 2: improve data collection and reporting; strategy 3: build infrastructure support for covid-19 prevention/control; and strategy 4: mobilize partners and collaborators to advance health equity). Highlights of the overarching proposed activities and framework within cdphe?s plan include:?developing a state-run regional covid-19 health equity support network that coordinates services and resources across the state, mobilizing community-based organizations (through funding and technical support/assistance) to reach disproportionately affected populations with effective culturally- and linguistically - tailored programs and practices for testing and contact tracing, quarantine/isolation support, vaccine administration, and wrap-around services;?building an improved risk factor surveillance network that focuses on social determinants of health and drivers of health inequalities (EG race/ethnicity, occupation, housing/living situation, socioeconomic status, and other factors that contribute to disparate health outcomes in communities), improving informatics connections across existing data sources, and conducting program evaluation work to assure that our covid-19 health equities activities are successfully meeting data-driven needs for communities and resulting in reducing health disparities. ?organizing and implementing multiple covid-19 mitigation programs that meet the needs of individuals and mitigate the spread of covid-19 among populations disproportionately impacted.