EHC Project C1 Description_Disproportionately Affected Communities.docx

Project C1 Description

CDC-RFA-EH20-2005 – Supplemental NOFO Assessing Environment-related Mitigation Strategy Implementation in Communities Disproportionately Affected by COVID-19

GENERAL INFORMATION

Component B: Programs and services – strengthens capacity of EH programs and services in areas such as private drinking water, recreational water, rodent control, and food safety.

Component C: Priority and emerging hazards and issues – strengthens capacity for addressing specific priority EH hazards or issues such as harmful algal blooms or environmental issues related to homelessness.

Overview (100 word limit): Long-standing systemic health and social inequities have put many people from racial and ethnic minority groups and low-income communities at increased risk of getting sick and dying from COVID-19. There is increasing evidence that some racial and ethnic minority groups are being disproportionately affected by COVID-19. As we continue to learn more about the impact of COVID-19 on the health of racial and ethnic minority groups, immediate and effective environment-related mitigation strategy implementation is essential to limiting the spread and impact of COVID-19 and ultimately ending the COVID-19 pandemic.

PROJECT DETAILS

Expected outcomes:

1. Description of factors impacting environment-related mitigation strategy implementation in communities disproportionately affected by COVID-19, such as addressing access to resources for and promoting Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), cleaning and disinfection, properly operating ventilation systems, and safe food handling practices. Additionally, description of factors related to understanding possible unintended consequences (e.g., increases in foodborne/waterborne illnesses because EH programs lack the workforce capacity to conduct routine inspections due to a shift in COVID-19 related priorities) of COVID-19 envionment-mitigation strategies.

2. Development and implementation of effective interventions, including tailored health communication strategies with culturally and linguistically responsive materials and messengers, that promote scientifically accurate information on prevention of COVID-19 to racial and ethnic minority groups disproportionately affected by COVID-19, persons meeting HHS poverty guidelines criteria and/or experiencing homelessness, essential workers with lower wages and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations in rural and urban communities and incarcerated/prison populations.

3. Strengthened STLT EH program capacity for implementing effective COVID-19 environment-related mitigation strategies, interventions and activities to address and reduce disparities by increasing access to EH services among racial and ethnic minority groups, persons meeting HHS poverty guidelines criteria and/or experiencing homelessness, essential workers with lower wages and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations in rural and urban communities.

STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES

Proposed activities (800 word limit)

Strategy 1: Strengthen EH data use and informatics capacity

Activity 1a: Expand completeness of EH data for assessing the implementation of environment-related mitigation strategies in communities disproportionately affected by COVID-19. This activity will support the use of EH data for identifying any existing challenges and differences in environment-related mitigation strategy implementation to prevent COVID-19 transmission and reduce impact among racial and ethnic minority groups disproportionately affected by COVID-19, persons meeting HHS poverty guidelines criteria and/or experiencing homelessness, essential workers with lower wages and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations in rural and urban communities.

Activity 1b: Enhance EH program informatics capacity and infrastrucure for hosting EH data and communicating information about the data to target populations and other stakeholders. This activity includes exploring options for ensuring disproportionately impacted communities have access to EH information and online EH data and resources in ways that address language barriers; cultural differences.

Strategy 2: Identify, prevent, and control EH hazards

Activity 2a: Describe disparities and differences in the implementation of environment-related mitigation strategies and determine appropriate interventions to address those disparities and inform needed improvements to EH program services and activities to prevent COVID-19 transmission in disproportionately impacted communities.

Activity 2b: Build partnerships with community-attuned racial and ethnic minority-serving organizations, community organizations, and community members to share information and collaborate to prevent environmental transmission of COVID-19 in communities.

Activity 2c: Develop culturally appropiate guidance or communications and informational resources for preventing environmental transmission of COVID-19 and determine effective methods for disseminating the information.

Activity 2d. Engage with partners and community stakeholders to promote Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) interventions and prevention and control measures (e.g. masks, water, soap, hand sanitizer), identify alternate locations for self-quarantine when existing housing conditions prevent adequate isolation, and develop homelessness prevention and care action plans.

Strategy 3: Assess EH intervention effectiveness and impact

Activity 3a: Conduct assessments of effectiveness, efficiency, and cumulative impacts of environment-related COVID-19 interventions and mitigation strategies to inform evidence-based decision making about EH services and activities.

Activity 3b: Generate information and evidence for determining, prioritizing, and funding environment-related mitigation strategies, interventions or EH services and activities that lower COVID-19 incidence rates, prevent future COVID infections, and reduce health disparities.

Activity 3c: Conduct assessments to understand the potential EH impacts related to the implementation of mitigation strategies and interventions, such as increase of waste to landfills and/or decrease of environmental factors that could contribute to climate change.

EVALUATION AND PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT

Strategy 1 activities: Strengthen EH data use and informatics capacity

Measure #1: Number or description of challenges and differences in implementation of environment-related mitigation strategies, as identified through use of EH data.

Measure #2: Number of decisions made based on available EH data.

Measure #3: Number or percentage of people or facilities with access to EH information and online EH data and resources on COVID-19 prevention guidance and available EH, public health, and social services and resources.

Strategy 2 activities: Identify, prevent, and control EH hazards

Measure #1: Number of interventions implemented or improvements made to EH program services and activities to prevent COVID-19 transmission in disproportionately impacted communities.

Measure #2: Number of partnerships with community-attuned racial and ethnic minority-serving organizations, community organizations, and community members engaged in COVID-19 response.

Measure #3: Proportion of identified facilities with high-risk of community transmission based on environmental risk factors and infection prevention and control (IPC) practices.

Measure #4: Number of public and community spaces (e.g. restaurants, places of worship, parks, quarantine stations) without IPC and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) assessment services and resources (e.g. masks, water, soap, hand sanitizer).

Strategy 3 activities: Assess EH intervention effectiveness and impact

Measure #1: Number of environment-related mitigation strategies and interventions assessed for effectiveness, efficiency, and impacts on preventing environmental transmission of COVID-19 and reducing associated health disparities.

Measure #2: Description of information and evidence for effectiveness, efficiency and impact of implemented environment-related mitigation strategies, interventions, or improved EH services and activities.

Measure #3 Presence of an evidence-based risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) strategic plan focused on specific behavior change outcomes in target population to prevent environmental transmission and mitigate spread of COVID-19.

Measure #4: Number and proportion of people with access to safe and healthy environments, including basic mitigation resources (masks, soap, water, alcohol-based hand rub, etc.), resulting from implementation of interventions, strategies, or improvements made to EH services and activities.

COLLABORATIVE WORK

· With other CDC programs and CDC-funded organizations: Recipients will collaborate directly with staff from the Water, Food, and Environmental Health Services Branch in CDC’s National Center for Environmental Health/Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice.

· With organizations not funded by CDC: Recipients are encouraged to build and sustain strategic partnerships and collaborations with agencies and organizations that have a role in supporting the implementation of a recipient’s proposed work plan and activities and achieving expected outcomes. Partners and collaborators may include other health department programs or external partner agencies or organizations. Partnerships are encouraged for addressing and understanding the relationships between environmental factors/pathways and other components of the disease triad (host and agent).

FUNDING AND BUDGET INSTRUCTIONS

· Estimated total availability of funds: $1,800,000

· Estimated number of awards given: 10

· Estimated average per award: $180,000

General instructions for use of funds, as applicable (200 word limit):

References and additional guidance (if applicable)

References: