The Washington State Department of Health has provided up to $100,000 in funding for the Health District to hire a Community Health Outreach Worker. The funding runs through Mary 31, 2023.

The purpose of this project as outlined by the Department of Health is:

• The refugee health program will partner with refugee health screening clinics that serve the refugee and immigrant population to build, leverage, and expand infrastructure support for COVID-19 prevention and control among populations that are at higher risk and underserved.

• Through this partnership, refugee health screening clinics will hire a community health outreach worker, or a vaccine ambassador, that is culturally and linguistically appropriate.
• These community health outreach workers will then be able to provide catered care and outreach to the refugee and immigrant population. 
• This position will advance health equity in local communities and collaboratively work to reduce COVID-19 related health disparities, increase uptake of COVID-19 and other ACIP-recommended vaccines, provide health education, and health-related care coordination to address co-morbidities that may lead to severe illness and/or death due to COVID-19.

The community health outreach worker would be housed within our tuberculosis/refugee health program.

Consistent with Resolution 19-20 and the revised Division of Responsibilities (10/8/19), the Board of Health has authority over the Health District budget.

MOVE TO authorize the Administrative Officer to hire a temporary term-limited community health outreach worker for the refugee health outreach project.