From Barriers to Bridges: The COVID-19 Health Disparities Grant’s Impact on Rural Health Access

Overview

Partners in West Virginia, Utah, and Oklahoma utilized funding from the COVID-19 Health Disparities grant to improve healthcare access among underserved and rural communities. With its flexible funding, the grant empowered health departments to address pandemic-related challenges by building systems that will continue to address ongoing health disparities.

Challenge

Many rural residents of West Virginia know what it feels like to have to climb a mountain to access basic healthcare. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic made this climb steeper and more pressing, bringing systemic inequalities to light.

West Virginia lies entirely within the Appalachian Mountain region, with about two-thirds of residents living in rural areas. Many rural residents had to travel hours to reach vaccination and testing sites, if they had access to transportation.

Greenbrier County, the second largest county in West Virginia, suffered one of the state's highest COVID-19 infection rates. Hospitals reached capacity, and health department resources were stretched thin.

Fortunately, in 2021, CDC funded the COVID-19 Health Disparities grant to support underserved and vulnerable communities like Greenbrier County. This $2.25 billion grant was the CDC’s largest investment to date focused specifically on reducing health disparities related to COVID-19.

Recognizing that these disparities stem from a variety of factors, this grant was unique in that it would also fund department projects that addressed social determinants of health (SDOH). SDOH are the conditions in an individual’s environment that impact various aspects of quality-of-life outcomes, health functioning, and risks.

By focusing on these conditions, such as access to reliable transportation, local health departments could better assess the root causes of healthcare disparities, and build systems intended to support long-term resilience.

Thanks to the grant’s flexible funding, underserved, minority, and rural residents could be met exactly where they were.

Solution

In Greenbrier County, the addition of mobile testing units made it possible for rural residents to receive rapid COVID-19 tests without leaving their homes. Additionally, a partnership between the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) and the Mountain Transit Authority provided residents free transportation for non-emergency medical appointments.

“Thanks to this grant, we've established sustainable partnerships that address our local health department’s capacity for threat preparedness, medical transportation needs of residents, and the overall health of our community,” said Misty Beiler Program Coordinator, Center for Rural and Community Health of West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine.

Impact

In total, the grant funded 108 state, local, territorial, and freely associated state health departments to create lasting change in their communities. Here are additional examples of how select areas expanded their infrastructure to enhance equitable access to healthcare:

As a result of the grant’s funding, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources:

• Improved COVID-19 testing access for individuals with chronic conditions by utilizing new staff positions and laptops to digitize patient records and identify vulnerable individuals lacking healthcare access.

• Provided no-cost medical transportation to rural residents of Greenbrier County in partnership with Mountain Transit Authority, exceeding the target outcome of vehicle boardings and reducing the number of no-show medical appointments.

• Increased access to COVID-19 testing and vaccinations by deploying mobile units directly to remote neighborhoods.

As a result of the grant’s funding, the Utah Department of Health:

• Helped all 13 local health departments enhance their cross-collaboration efforts and deliver services to vulnerable populations by providing them with additional training and technical assistance.

• Increased vaccination rates and healthcare access in underserved communities by creating partnerships with 14 third-party mobile health clinics that offered resources such as mobile vaccination clinics, food pantries, dental clinics and community engagement nights.

• Provided rural residents with non-emergency medical transportation for doctor appointments, pharmacy needs, and more by partnering with Sosento Uber Health.

As a result of the grant’s funding, the Oklahoma State Department of Health:

• Guided the strategy and service for 68 county health departments by assessing the needs of rural residents through targeted surveys, listening sessions, focus groups and community forums.

• Tripled the number of clients served by deploying Mobile Wellness Units to all 9 of Oklahoma’s Public Health Districts. Through the data-informed placement of these units, underserved rural residents received increased access to healthcare services, resources and vaccinations.

• Leveraged community partners to analyze emergency response resources across counties, informing the establishment of vaccine clinics, mobile food mini markets, and the distribution of mitigation kits that included at-home COVID-19 tests.

These examples are just a snapshot of how the grant enhanced healthcare access nationwide.

With its flexible funding, the grant empowered health departments to address pandemic-related challenges by building systems that will continue to address ongoing health disparities.

Dr. Brian Hendricks, from the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, highlighted the grant’s role in opening doors for the future of health equity in his community.

“We are incredibly grateful for the CDC Rural Health Disparities funding which supported the collective growth of our community and strengthened its resolve to apply for future grants to address health inequities in rural underserved areas,” Hendricks said.

The success of this grant signifies a meaningful step toward ensuring that all communities, regardless of location, can access the healthcare they need.