T.G.I.F! Enjoy your NCMS Morning Rounds.
June 18, 2021
NCDHHS Prioritizing Equity in COVID Testing, Vaccine Strategies
NCDHHS has made equity a priority in testing and vaccine rollout efforts for high-priority and marginalized populations throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
As outlined on PreventEpidemics.org, NCDHHS established an equity-driven testing strategy that sought to provide access to testing in communities most affected by COVID-19 early in the pandemic. To rapidly scale up COVID-19 testing and make it more equitable, NCDHHS started its Community Testing for High-Priority and Marginalized Populations (CHAMP) initiative in July 2020.
The CHAMP initiative provided a blueprint for the NCDHHS to design an equitable COVID-19 vaccine rollout: engage with communities to identify needs, look at the data to drive decision-making and adjust the program in real-time as needed.
Read more about how equity has driven COVID-19 testing and vaccine rollout in North Carolina.
Home Testing Program Expands to All Eligible North Carolinians
NCDHHS is expanding the availability of its at-home COVID-19 test collection. All North Carolina residents may request a COVID-19 PCR Test Home Collection Kit shipped overnight directly to their homes at no cost.
Learn more about the program here.
Transition to NC Medicaid Managed Care Resources for Providers
The NC Medicaid Help Center allows providers to search topics, see the most viewed articles and top-ranked articles.
The Provider Playbook for Medicaid Managed Care provides fact sheets, trending topics and links to training and beneficiary materials.
In the News
CDC Releases Framework For Treating COVID-19 Long-Haulers, Becker’s Hospital Review, 6-16-21
Learning Opportunity
Analysis and Action: Applications of Intersectionality in COVID-19, Thursday, June 24, 2021, 1:00 PM-2:00 PM, ET
Why Should You Attend HESI?
- Application of a health equity lens to your work
- Collaboration with community partners
- Comprehensive framework to achieve health equity
- Use of quantitative and qualitative methods
- Life-course perspective
- Historical/Cultural context
Learn more and register here.
If you have policies you’d like your NCMS Board of Directors to consider, please complete the Board input form here. Thanks for reading!