Thread by @OHAOregon

OHA Director of the Office of Equity and Inclusion, Leann Johnson, during today's media availability: "Today we’re pleased to announce that OHA has selected a variety of non-profit organizations and tribal governments throughout the state as grantees for health equity grants."

"We have chosen 206 organizations and tribal governments to partner with to address the disproportionate impact of the #COVID19 pandemic on Oregon’s communities of color. The grants total $45M which the legislature designated for this purpose from federal CARES Act funding."

"The grants focus resources to communities most disproportionately impacted by #COVID19 and programs that will address health and economic disruptions, food insecurity and housing, and safety and violence prevention, among other aspects of need."

"Let me give you some specific examples of the types of issues these grants will help address. In the area of health & economic disruptions, we have organizations who provide thermometers, or personal protective items and address technology needs to improve access to telehealth."

"One organization we work with serving the Latinx community learned that people in their community didn’t have thermometers or face masks. And at the time face masks were both expensive and hard to find, especially without access to the internet."

"They also learned that workers at the local food processing plants didn’t have enough protective equipment because the companies were waiting for shipments. So, they gave out masks, thermometers, and hand sanitizer. And they educated the workers on how to keep themselves safe."

"We also have organizations who will provide wage relief, childcare support, and even business consulting to ensure that the very real and very devastating economic disruptions tied to COVID-19 are addressed for these communities."

"This funding and these partnerships will not solve health inequities, health disparities or the systemic racism and oppression that has caused them. But it will a make a significant difference for hundreds of thousands of Oregonians who suffer under these conditions."

"The relationships with these groups, the funding of their work, and their knowledge of the needs of their specific communities are the keys to breaking the hold of structural and organizational racism."

"We look forward to the partnership that we envision with the organizations and Tribal governments to address the issues I laid out and begin to make progress towards an equitable Oregon in relation to COVID-19."