A Rapid Survey of State and Territorial Public Health Partnerships With Faith-Based Organizations to Promote COVID-19 Vaccination.

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, media accounts emerged describing faith-based organizations (FBOs) working alongside health departments to support the COVID-19 response. In May 2021, the Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) sent an electronic survey to the 59 ASTHO member jurisdictions and four major US cities to assess state and territorial engagement with FBOs. Findings suggest that public health officials in many jurisdictions were able to work effectively with FBOs during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide essential education and mitigation tools to diverse communities. (<i>Am J Public Health</i>. 2022;112(3):397-400. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2021.306620).