(SAVANNAH, GA) Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia are inviting community members, church and health ministry leaders, community service providers and others interested in health equity to consider joining its Community Health Advocate (CHA) training program. An upcoming training session is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 10.
This is the fourth CHA training class that has been offered since the project launched last summer. The program is funded through a supplemental grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to broaden the initiatives of a five-year Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grant awarded in 2018. Both grants are administered by Healthy Savannah and the “Y” with the goal of fostering sustainable health equity among Black and Latinx residents in low-wealth neighborhoods and improving COVID-19 and flu vaccine awareness and acceptance in Savannah’s Black and Latinx communities.
“To date, 55 community members have participated in our Community Health Advocate training program and 34 have now completed the requirements with many of those still actively working in the community,” said Elsie Smalls, PhD, operations manager.
Smalls attributes the work of CHAs, who often meet one-on-one with community members at school, church and neighborhood events; to a growing change in perspectives about acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine and awareness of the importance of boosters.
“Attitudes have definitely changed as time has progressed,” said Charice Stroud, who graduated from the first CHA training program last summer after having moved to the Savannah area. “Looking back, I can understand why some may have been hesitant or against vaccination. It was all very shocking and new. Many people had to make big adjustments. Today, there is more normalcy and information around COVID vaccination and boosters. Many people became vaccinated and boosted to return to work or school. Vaccination and boosters have generally been accepted as a route back to normalcy.”
Chatham County’s vaccination rates have risen for one dose from 8% in February 2021 to 64% in June 2022, to a current rate of 65%. According to the Georgia Department of Health, 58% of Chatham County residents are fully vaccinated and 46% are vaccinated with an additional dose. Vaccination rates for the Black community are currently 52.4%, up from 51.8% in June 2022. For the Hispanic community, the rate is at 47%, up from 42.2% in June 2022.
“This is why the work of the Community Health Advocates is so important,” said Nichele Hoskins, communication manager. “They are able to reach deep into their own communities to hear concerns, perspectives and experiences with COVID-19 and its vaccines. Their experiences are helping provide a more thorough understanding of current perceptions and offer feedback that could help shape public health interaction with people in priority communities.”
“Looking ahead to the holidays, anyone who is eligible should consider getting boosted so they’ll be more protected during family gatherings,” said Ervenia Bowers, a native of west Savannah and 2021 CHA graduate. “You want to be around your family and enjoy yourself. Getting boosted provides comfort, especially if you are around people you don’t know and might be exposed.”
The upcoming training session will be held at 6:30 p.m. on November 10, with attendees meeting via ZOOM in small groups of about 10 each. In addition to a $500 stipend they’ll receive for performing community outreach activities after the training, participants can sharpen leadership skills and learn about advocacy. They will also be invited to attend an appreciation celebration for the first three cohorts of trainees being planned for November which will feature Lillian Grant-Baptiste, chair of Healthy Savannah, as the keynote speaker.
The participants will also have the opportunity to attend a storytelling workshop with renowned sociologist, Bertice Berry, PhD, being planned for December. A best-selling author and award-winning lecturer, Berry has been named Comedian of the Year, Lecturer of the Year, and Entertainer of the Year. She has published 11 best-selling books in both fiction and non-fiction and won numerous awards and accolades for both her writing and presentations.
“We want to encourage those who can relate to the health inequities that Black and Hispanic Savannahians experience to consider attending this training session,” said Smalls. “If you are active in your community or church organization, or if you’re considering a career in public health you will be able to put this training to good use.”
To apply for the Community Health Advocate Training program, or to learn more, please email Dr. Elsie Smalls at elsie@healthysavannah.org or call 843-323-9997.
ABOUT THE YMCA OF COASTAL GEORGIA/HEALTHY SAVANNAH GRANT FOR RACIAL AND ETHNIC APPROACHES TO COMMUNITY HEALTH: In September 2018, Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia were awarded a five-year, $3.4 million grant called Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health. Awarded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the funding is being deployed in an “upstream” approach by the Savannah/Chatham County project team to foster sustainable health equity among Black residents in low-wealth neighborhoods. The aim of the local project, called Healthy Opportunities Powering Equity, or HOPE, is to increase the availability of high-quality nutrition; promote physical activity through creating greater access to safe places to walk, run, bike and play; and foster stronger connections between people and the healthcare providers who serve them. Working with more than 200 community partners and organizations, the team is committed to elevating the health and wellness of the community through policy, systems, and environmental change. In July 2022, Healthy Savannah received the CDC’s 2022 REACH Lark Galloway-Gilliam Award for Advancing Health Equity Challenge. The award recognizes extraordinary individuals and entities whose work has contributed to advancing health equity.
healthysavannah.org ymcaofcoastalga.org.
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