HUD, HHS Partner on COVID-19 Vaccine Program

The U.S. Departments of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Health and Human Services (HHS) have partnered to create a new program to make COVID-19 vaccines and testing more accessible for HUD-assisted households and people experiencing homelessness. Under the program, funded by the American Rescue Plan, HUD and HHS are directing all community health centers to build on or create new partnerships with HUD participants (including PHAs, Continuums of Care, and homeless providers) to facilitate on-site testing and vaccine clinics at HUD-assisted sites and to create mobile facilities to reach those experiencing unsheltered homelessness. HUD and HHS will support these partnerships by tracking the number of people being vaccinated and the number of vaccine clinics, as well as leveraging a new mapping tool to identify high-need areas for vaccination. Vaccines will come from the Health Center COVID-19 Program, which sends vaccines directly to 800 health centers across the country.

In addition to the vaccine sites themselves, these programs will also help with registering and scheduling testing and vaccine appointments, conduct outreach on vaccine safety and efficacy, and provide transportation to vaccination for those with limited mobility. Beyond COVID-19, the program should also provide information on access for more comprehensive primary health care services for participants. HUD and HHS estimate this will reach approximately 6,000 multifamily housing properties, 6,700 homeless shelters, and 7,500 public housing properties.   

More information can be found here.