Purpose

The State of Alaska, Department of Health and Social Services, Division of Public Health will provide funding to Alaskan local governments and Tribal entities to help with the following activities:

• Improve efforts and increase access to COVID testing in the community
• Build capacity to increase access to COVID vaccine in the community
• Implement strategies that decrease health inequities

Health Equity

According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, health equity means that everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. This requires removing obstacles to health such as poverty, discrimination, and their consequences, including powerlessness and lack of access to good jobs with fair pay, quality education and housing, safe environments, and health care.

COVID-19 Health Equity Activity Requirement

One goal of these projects is to implement community-driven strategies around COVID-19 vaccines, testing, case interviews, contact tracing, and other COVID-19 topics, with specific emphasis on population groups that have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic due to external social factors and systemic inequities.

Funding is calculated on population ​size. A portion of the funds are required to be used to help those who have difficulty accessing testing, vaccine or complying with recommendations from contract tracers. A minimum of 10% will be required for each MOA and will increase based on the levels of deprivation experienced in your community. Information on higher levels of deprivation by community is available for comparison to surrounding areas here: Neighborhood Atlas - Home.

Eligibility

Local governments are eligible to apply and may propose plans to engage one or more communities and geographic areas. The definition of communities may also include a group of people who have particular characteristic in common (e.g. share similar cultural beliefs or interests). Please work with your local tribes, borough, or municipality to ensure that efforts are coordinated. DHSS allows recipients to act as pass-through entities in order to provide funding to other recipients, including community-based organizations serving populations who may experience health inequities. Technical assistance will be provided throughout the funding period to assist with reporting, advancing health equity projects, pre-approval of projects and invoice processing.

Reporting

Reporting requirements will be due at the same time as invoices. Payment will not be issued unless necessary reporting is attached. Reporting requirements will be determined during the MOA preparation and will be dependent upon the type of activities selected. Entities are encouraged to collaborate with hospitals, schools and community organizations to improve the outcomes for their population. See attachment of COVID-19 Community Memorandum of Agreement fund amounts.

Period of agreement, dates and deadlines

• March 15, 2021 – March 31, 2022

Important dates

• February 23, 2021 Pre award meeting with technical assistance (4pm)
• February 26, 2021 2nd Pre award meeting with technical assistance (10am)
• March 15, 2021 Funding Requests due to Maria.caruso@alaska.gov
• March 31, 2021 Award funding to Communities via signed MOA
• March 31, 2022 Final receipts due to DPH, payments issued to Communities

Terms and Payment
Funds will be reimbursed through invoicing upon approval of MOA.

Prior approval required for:

• Computer software
• Equipment
• Construction projects

Funds cannot be used for:

• Resources funded by another HSS Contract or HSS-Cares source
• Research
• Purchasing vehicles
• Reimbursement of Pre-Award costs
• Hospital bills or insurance claims
• Fund raising activities or lobbying
• No indirect costs will be considered
• Food and/or water for events

Please complete the application in order to develop MOA.

Questions?
Submit questions to maria.caruso@alaska.gov.