CDC Health Equity Grant
COVID-19 Tests Provided to Uninsured Residents
3,244 free COVID-19 tests were provided to uninsured residents of Tulsa County through a partnership with Tulsa Mobile COVID Testing, LLC and Access Medical Center. The two-year partnership with these external vendors concluded during the fiscal year.
Translation and Interpretation Services
The Tulsa Health Department partners with YWCA Tulsa to support translation and interpretation services in Tulsa County. 305 translation requests were provided to nonprofit agencies such as mental health, doula training, safety training and primary care services in Tulsa County. The majority of the requests were for Spanish, Russian and Zomi.
Partnership with Uma Center of Tulsa
The Tulsa Health Department partners with the Uma Center of Tulsa to increase vaccination rates within the Hispanic Community in Tulsa County. Uma Tulsa hosted 28 vaccination clinics which operate as mini-health fairs during the fiscal year. 1,028 vaccines were administered to children and adults at these events.
Community members were vaccinated against a wide range of diseases, such as COVID-19, influenza, hepatitis A & B, pneumococcal (PCV) and tetanus, as well as childhood immunizations against varicella, polio, diphtheria, whooping cough, DTaP, Hemophilus influenza type B (Hib), and rotavirus (RV).
Office of Health Equity
The office of health equity will officially launch in January 2025. The following positions have been hired with the addition of one community health worker remaining.
• Health Equity Director - Hired June, 2022
• Health Equity Manager (Bilingual) - Hired Nov, 2023
• Community Health Worker (Burmese/Zomi) - Hired January 2024
• Community Health Worker (LGBTQIA) - Hired March 2024
• Community Health Worker (Latinx) - Hired April 2024
The team undergone intensive training to ensure that everyone is ready to support Tulsa County's most vulnerable populations, including the Latinx community, Burmese/Zomi speakers, LGBTQIA individuals and African Americans.
Our Community Health Workers (CHW) are dedicated to bridge the gap between clients and essential services. By screening for social determinants of health that contribute to disparities, they are well-equipped to address critical needs.
Each CHW has been carefully selected for their strong and trusted relationships within the community. These connections and lived experiences are crucial for advancing health equity and ensuring that clients receive the necessary support. The team is ready to assess and address these needs effectively, promoting better access to services and improved health outcomes for everyone.
Over the past year, the office of health equity has actively supported Be Well CDC in its mission to serve the residents of District 1 in North Tulsa. Through these efforts, we have expanded our outreach to populations within Tulsa that experience the highest levels of health disparities. In addition to our collaboration with Be Well CDC, we have strengthened our relationships with key community partners, including the Tulsa Equality Center and Crossover Health.
This has strengthened our ability to improve health outcomes in underserved communities. Our ongoing outreach will ensure that all Tulsa County residents have a solid connection to necessary services and a caring individual to support them.
Be Well Community Development Corporation
2024 Blood at the Roots Conference
With support from the CDC Public Infrastructure Grant, the Tulsa Health Department partnered with Be Well Community Development Corporation to host the 2nd Annual Blood at the Roots Conference on April 11-12, 2024. The conference featured five keynote presenters and 50 breakout sessions addressing current issues regarding health equity from a variety of perspectives and diverse collection of voices. The conference tracks included:
1. The Root Causes of Poor Health Outcomes in BIPOC Communities
2. Addressing Health Equity through Community Initiatives
3. A Criminal Justice System That Is Not "Just"
4. Why is the Education System Failing BIPOC Communities? Impact Now and in the Future
Shifting Power to Advance Equity and Change Systems presented by Monroe Nicols, StriveTogether
The keynote presenters include Robin DiAngelo, author of White Fragility, Dr. Ebony Johnson, Superintendent of Tulsa Public Schools, Jane Elliott, American diversity educator, Risha Grant, global culture and DEI Keynote Presenter, and Kemba Smith, criminal justice advocate. Over 250 people attended the conference and the majority of attendees left favorable feedback on the keynote presentations and breakout sessions.
A dynamic pre-conference on Trauma-Informed Leadership: Collective Trauma and the Workplace took place at Langston University in Tulsa. Led by Dawn Emerick, the session provided valuable insights into the importance of self-regulation and adopting re-regulating tactics to practice and apply the six principles of trauma-informed leadership in the workplace with emphasis on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
2nd Annual Back-to-School Bash
The Tulsa Health Department co-hosted the 2nd Annual Back-to-School Bash with Be Well Community Development Corporation on Aug 11, 2023. Supported by the George Kaiser Family Foundation and Crossover Community Impact, the event took place at the THD North Regional Health & Wellness Center which was in the heart of our target community. The event’s success was made possible by the dedication of over 150 team members and community volunteers.
• Nearly 1,500 community members participated in this free event
• Over 900 backpacks, school supplies and personal hygiene care products were distributed
• Resources and preventive healthcare services crucial for school readiness such as childhood immunizations and free sports physicals for the first 100 young athletes
• Three local food trucks provided free food for the families
Joyful Movement North Tulsa
Initiative to improve mental health and physical activity among north Tulsa residents, particularly those in ZIP code 74126.
• Held in partnership with Tulsa Parks and the Jane A. Malone Center at Chamberlain Park, Langston University, Crossover Community Center and the Tulsa Health Department North Tulsa Health & Wellness Center
• A total of 127 classes which consist of yoga, weightlifting, zumba, belly dancing and line dancing were conducted
• The first challenge of 2024 was concluded with a special session by nationally known hip-hop step master Phil Weeden
North Tulsa Forward Program
Housing grant launched in July 2022 to help with the purchase of homes in North Tulsa.
• Four in-person financial literacy and homebuyer classes were conducted during the fiscal year
• $10,000 housing grant was given to 27 participants
• 290 applicants received
• 47 graduated from Homebuyer & Financial Literacy in-person courses
• 88 completed our online financial literacy and homebuyer training courses
Out of the 27 recipents of the $10,000 housing grant:
• 20 were females and 11 were males
• 18 households included children and 9 households did not
• Ethnicity: 24 recipients were Black, 2 were White and 1 was Hispanic
• Relationship Status: 4 recipients were married and 23 were single
Annual Men's Health & Wellness Expo
The 7th Annual Men's Health & Wellness Expo took place on June 22, 2024, at the THD North Regional Health & Wellness Center, drawing over 160 attendees, the majority of whom were men. The event featured engaging activities that include a field day competition with push-up and jump rope contests, mocktails and a fireside chat exclusively for men. Dr. Chris McNeil, an emergency medicine resident physician and the founder of the Tulsa chapter of Black Men in White Coats was the keynote speaker for the event.
Office of Community Health & Quality Improvement
Center for Community Health at Saint Francis Health System
• 889 patients enrolled
• 7,184 patient contacts
• 3,516 community referrals made
• 7,184 patient contacts
• 3,516 community referrals made
Top referrals include: Transportation, Food, Medication and Mental Health/Addiction
Success story:
A client overcoming food insecurity and mobility challenges after a foot amputation received impactful support from our Community Health Worker.
• Four weekly home visits to ensure consistent and personalized assistance
• Food assistance: delivered food boxes from La Cosecha, an East Tulsa food bank that supplies families with a week's worth of food
• Collaborated with Ability Resources to secure a wheelchair, guard rails and bedside commode
• Scheduled an appointment with the client's new primary care doctor, arranged transportation for follow-up care, and ensured the client had support during his first appointment
The client and his family now access the La Cosecha food bank independently, and he receives care from a primary care physician to manage his diabetes.
The Community Health Program at Ascension St. John started serving clients in November 2023 with the hiring and training of a Program Manager and Community Health Worker.
• 46 patients enrolled: 36 from the Heart Failure Clinic and 10 from the Emergency Department
• 1,155 patient contacts
• 321 patient referrals completed
• 50% of patients served were from North Tulsa ZIP codes
• 1,155 patient contacts
• 321 patient referrals completed
• 50% of patients served were from North Tulsa ZIP codes
Beacon Bridge Grant
The Community Health Program was awarded an $86,000 Beacon Bridge Grant from the Ascension St. John Community Health Equity Catalyst Strategy. This grant will fund our program from July 1 to December 31, 2024.
Scholarship
Our Community Health Worker (CHW) was awarded a $1,500 scholarship to attend a national conference through the Oklahoma Public Health Training Center CHW Program at the Hudson College of Public Health.
Success Story:
Our community health worker provided extensive support to a client facing multiple social determinants of health challenges.
• Assisted with the application of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, securing $190 monthly benefits for the client.
• Worked with Christ for Humanity and Rotary Medical Supply to obtain a wheelchair and walker to improve the client's mobility and independence.
• Assisted client with access to ADvantage services which provided Mom's Meals, additional prescription coverage, weekly in-home assistance and LIFT transportation services.
Through four home visits, the community health worker delivered food and essential health education, covering topics such as fluid intake, smoking cessation and bed exercises. The client expressed gratitude for the support and resources provided.
Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP)
In the last fiscal year, the Tulsa County CHIP held three quarterly meetings and multiple workgroup meetings that included data-driven presentations, expert panel discussions, Q&A and vendor booths. For greater inclusivity, the workgroup meetings combined in-person and online formats to facilitate collaboration.
Number of Participants at the Tulsa County CHIP Quarterly Meetings
• Q3 Quarterly Meeting: 63
• Q4 Quarterly Meeting: 45
• State of Stress and Mental Health Meeting: 70
Overall, the Tulsa County CHIP’s engagement spanned over 51.5 community hours from the CHIP Advisory, Leadership and THD Support Teams. These efforts enhanced strategic planning, broadened community involvement and solidified action plans for the CHIP’s health priorities, marking a year of strengthened community partnerships and progress.
CHIP Workgroups
Four hybrid workgroup meetings that combined in-person and online covering the following health priorities:
• Stress and Mental Health
• Chronic Disease Risk Factors and Management
• Healthy and Affordable Housing