Vaccine Ambassador Project

COVID-19: Outreach - Inform - Vaccinate

Vaccine Ambassador Project

Vaccine Ambassador Project

What is the Vaccine Ambassador Project (VAP)?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in partnership with the National Health Care for the Homeless Council (NHCHC) and the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), awarded $2.3 million to 15 health centers in 12 states to support the Community Vaccine Ambassador Project from November 2021 to December 2022. For 2023, 11 health centers have opted to continue the project, adding in additional adult immunizations to distribute, with awards totaling $1.1 million.
VAP originally focused on increasing COVID-19 vaccination rates among people experiencing homelessness, people with substance use disorder, and people who engage in sex work. In the second year of the program not only are Ambassadors still working to vaccinate individuals against COVID-19 but are adding in additional adult immunizations. All three groups are at increased risk for infections and often have experienced barriers to accessing health care. Additional Vaccinations Available: COVID-19 – Hepatitis A – Hepatitis B – HPV – Influenza – Mpox – Pneumonia – Shingles – Tdap – Twinrix – Other

VAP Year One

How is the Vaccine Ambassadors Project Implemented?

Hire & Train Vaccine Ambassadors

Vaccine ambassadors are peers with lived experience or stakeholders in local communities.
Applying to be a vaccine ambassador
Mobile Unit for North Country HealthCare

Outreach to Target Populations

We meet those experiencing homelessness, those with substance use disorder, and those who engage in sex work where they are, whether it is in a waiting room, an encampment, or an emergency room.

Outreach to Target Populations

We meet those experiencing homelessness, those with substance use disorder, and those who engage in sex work where they are, whether it is in a waiting room, an encampment, or an emergency room.
Mobile Unit for North Country HealthCare

Vaccinate Our Target Populations

Vaccinations can happen anywhere by ambassadors, nurses, and clinical staff. They can take place on the street, at their house, in the clinic, at pop-up sites, parking lots, and medical mobile units. 
Vaccinating patient at site

VAP Community Partnerships

Vaccine ambassador giving vaccine
Icon for HCH PartnersRe-entry programs
Icon for HCH PartnersHomeless drop-in centers
Icon for HCH PartnersShelters
Icon for HCH PartnersHarm reduction sites
Icon for HCH PartnersFirehouses
Icon for HCH PartnersDrug and alcohol treatment centers
Icon for HCH PartnersEncampments
Icon for HCH PartnersAccess programs

Vaccine Ambassadors Project Organizations

Click on the links below to go to the website of the corresponding organization
Affina Healthcare logoAffinia Healthcare, Saint Louis, MO
Camillus Health Concern LogoCamillus Health Concern, Inc. (CHC), Miami, FL
PrimaryOne Health LogoColumbus Neighborhood Health Center, dba PrimaryOne Health (P1H), Columbus, OH
Greater Lawrence Family Health Center logoGreater Lawrence Family Health Center, Lawrence, MA
JWCH Wesley logoJWCH Institute Inc., Los Angeles, CA
LifeSpring Health Systems LogoLifeSpring, Inc., Jeffersonville, IN
Optimus Health Care logoOPTIMUS Health Care, Bridgeport, CT
Pinellas County Human Services logoPinellas County Board of County Commissioners, Clearwater, FL
Public Health Management Corporation logoPublic Health Management Corporation, Philadelphia, PA
The Wright Center for Community Health logoThe Wright Center for Community Health (TWCCH), Scranton, PA
Yakima Neighborhood Health LogoYakima Neighborhood Health Services, Yakima, WA

Affina Healthcare logoAffinia Healthcare, Saint Louis, MO
Alameda County HCH LogoAlameda County Health Care for the Homeless, Oakland, CA
Camillus Health Concern LogoCamillus Health Concern, Inc. (CHC), Miami, FL
Colorado Coalition for the Homeless logoColorado Coalition for the Homeless, Denver, CO *
PrimaryOne Health LogoColumbus Neighborhood Health Center, dba PrimaryOne Health (P1H), Columbus, OH
Cresen Care logoCrescentCare, New Orleans, LA
Greater Lawrence Family Health Center logoGreater Lawrence Family Health Center, Lawrence, MA
JWCH Wesley logoJWCH Institute Inc., Los Angeles, CA
LifeSpring Health Systems LogoLifeSpring, Inc., Jeffersonville, IN
Optimus Health Care logoOPTIMUS Health Care, Bridgeport, CT
Pinellas County Human Services logoPinellas County Board of County Commissioners, Clearwater, FL
Public Health Management Corporation logoPublic Health Management Corporation, Philadelphia, PA
Union Community Health Center logoUnion Community Health Center, Inc., Bronx, NY
The Wright Center for Community Health logoThe Wright Center for Community Health (TWCCH), Scranton, PA
Yakima Neighborhood Health LogoYakima Neighborhood Health Services, Yakima, WA
This project concludes July 2024.

This Vaccine Ambassador Project is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $7,000,000 with 100 percent funded by CDC/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

Staff and general public at COVID-19 vaccine event

Note:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in partnership with the National Health Care for the Homeless Council (NHCHC) and the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), awarded $2.3 million to 15 health centers in 12 states to support the Community Vaccine Ambassador Project.

Funding and Partners

Icon of a Consumer of Homeless services
People experiencing homelessness
Individuals with substance use disorders
Icon for Sex Workers
Individuals engaged in sex work

In the end, we want to turn challenges into successes:

Graphic showing challenges becoming successes

Scroll to Top