Covid 19: Southeast Regional Hub for Local Vaccine Outreach

Abstract The University of Kentucky’s Human Development Institute (HDI) will serve as a Regional Vaccine Hub for the Southeast to support cross-state collaboration around Covid-19 vaccinations efforts for people with disabilities. Goals of the project are: Act as critical regional navigators to engage selected Trainees and Training Directors in their region; Identify, train, and support known and trusted champions to increase interpersonal communication around vaccination with trusted and familiar messengers within their networks and offer a directory of local vaccine champions for local communications; Support rapid implementation of innovative strategies to reach the disability community at a local and regional level; Report innovative strategies to AUCD’s community of practice on vaccine confidence; Collaborate with regional partners on communications and policy strategies to reduce structural barriers as well as review and implement policy opportunities to support COVID-19 vaccination and other routine vaccinations; Encourage timely outreach and engagement of families, DSPs, and people with disabilities through local chapters and affiliates of disability community; Build vaccine confidence and access across the disability community at the local level and to include a disability perspective in ongoing emergency preparedness and public health efforts, and; Conduct assessments to evaluate reach to the disability community at a regional level.