Kentucky HUD Office Assists the state in the Phase One COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout

Health providers provide COVID-19 vaccinations to residents in long term facilities. Photo credit: Silas Walker/Lexington Herald-Leader via AP.

The Kentucky HUD office recently partnered with the Kentucky Cabinet Secretary for Health and Human Services to ensure an efficient vaccine rollout for senior citizens. Field Policy and Management (FPM) staff went into action working in a cross-collaborative effort with Public and Indian Housing (PIH) and Multi-Family Housing leadership to build a database of information on elderly sites and other properties around the state with high concentrations of seniors. This effort resulted in expanding the list by identifying approximately 100 additional properties and 10,000 seniors.

"With this opportunity to partner with FPM and the Kentucky Cabinet Secretary for Health and Human Services to reach Kentucky's seniors, HUD continues to fulfill its vision to improve lives and strengthen communities" said HUD Kentucky PIH Director Carol Spencer.

HUD staff enhanced the project by inviting USDA-RD to the partnership to ensure a complete inventory of affordable-housing properties and population estimates throughout the state. CVS and Walgreen's will now work in tandem with the Cabinet using the partnership data in deciding whether to provide onsite clinics or offer transportation services for the identified sites.

"These are the types of partnerships that need to occur as a necessity to protect our most vulnerable citizens. We look forward to continuing this partnership on into the next vaccine priority group" said HUD Kentucky Field Office Director Peter Jackson.

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