Alabama

In 2020, PIH-US was invited to convene the mayor of Montgomery’s COVID-19 taskforce, bringing together public sector, private sector, philanthropic, and community leaders to implement innovative solutions to vaccine access. We supported the Mayor’s office to map vaccination sites to identify gaps in services and direct resources to ensure higher vaccination rates, promote a free rides program for individuals with transportation barriers to vaccine sites, and engage with a coalition of local community partners in a “Get Out the Vax” community mobilization campaign. We also worked with local foundations and faith-based organizations to mobilize funding to support vaccine uptake strategies in their communities.

As attention shifts beyond COVID-19, we are working with public sector and community-based organizations to improve health outcomes and expand access to health care in Montgomery. We helped the City of Montgomery hire and train its first cohort of community health workers and provide on-going mentorship to support knowledge sharing and professional development. This workforce enables the city to capture data on community health, while also connecting communities to critical resources such as transportation, housing, and health education and services. As our team stewards the community health worker program in Montgomery, we are also working to reduce stigma and improve access to mental health services in Montgomery, targeting K-12 historically marginalized youth, parents, and local communities. Alongside this work, we are building relationships and partnerships to integrate, expand, and sustain Alabama’s community health workforce for the long term.