Connecticut Health Agencies Win $3.3 Million Award From Feds

CONNECTICUT — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has awarded the state a $3.3 million grant to address health disparities.

Connecticut successfully applied for the funding opportunity that was issued as part of the CDC’s "National Initiative to Address COVID-19 Health Disparities Among Populations at High-Risk and Underserved, Including Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations and Rural Communities."

Victoria Veltri, executive director of the state Office of Health Strategy, said: "It’s gratifying to have the CDC recognize the groundwork OHS has done to clear language, cultural, racial, and economic hurdles and confront underlying causes of health disparities."

In 2019, the OHS introduced the Health Enhancement Community initiative to build or expand collaborations across the state to improve healthy weight and physical fitness, advance child well-being, and strengthen health equity.

"The OHS HEC initiative is tailor-made for administration of this federal program, with an up-and-running organizational infrastructure to connect with these sought-after, at-risk populations," Veltri said. "OHS already works with community health workers, local advisory groups, the clergy and faith community, and non-traditional partners to maximize outreach opportunities and impact local areas about the importance of good health."

The federal monies will also be used by the Department of Public Health in its ongoing efforts to fortify the state's pandemic response, and make it more equitable in terms of testing procedures, contact tracing for those who test positive, quarantine and isolation strategies for those exposed, according to Dr. Deidre Gifford, acting DPH commissioner.

"Additionally, we will be coordinating vaccination programs to help mitigate additional virus spread, particularly among populations known to be high-risk, underserved, and hard to reach," Gifford said.

OHS and DPH have started working with the CDC toward a Memorandum of Agreement to map out grant administration over the two-year life of the grant.