M Health Fairview has held 1,875 — and counting — free COVID-19 vaccine clinics in communities facing health disparities
“M Health Fairview remains committed to providing the COVID-19 vaccine for free to as many of our neighbors as possible,” said Ingrid Johansen, senior manager of community clinical care for M Health Fairview Community Advancement. “Vaccines are the most effective way to protect individuals from severe illness and minimize the risk of the disease spreading.”
Addressing emerging needs
Trust, cost, and transportation are three of the most significant barriers standing in the way of healthcare access. That’s why M Health Fairview has administered nearly 70,000 free COVID-19 vaccine doses over the past three years at trusted community locations for groups facing health disparities.
The Minnesota Immunization Networking Initiative (MINI), a collaborative established and led by the M Health Fairview Community Advancement team and supported by nearly 250 community partners, started in 2006 by offering free influenza vaccines in the community. Over the years, it has expanded to provide free dental fluoride varnish applications, hepatitis A vaccines, COVID-19 testing, mpox vaccines, and COVID-19 vaccines and boosters.
The program has held more than 1,875 community vaccination events since January 2021. In addition to these low barrier, community-based free clinics, our health system has provided hundreds of thousands of COVID-19 vaccine doses to patients at our M Health Fairview clinics and pharmacies. MINI offers COVID-19 vaccines in addition to flu and mpox vaccines, fluoride varnish applications, and blood pressure checks through its various community clinics.
Despite recent federal funding cuts, M Health Fairview is committed to the communities we serve and will work to find solutions so we can continue to provide low-barrier access to vaccinations in community-based settings. While the decision to eliminate Minnesota Department of Health grant programs makes this work more difficult, we are committed to finding ways to extend care beyond traditional health care settings to best meet peoples’ needs and keep our community free from illness.
“Our MINI program works hard to reduce barriers by offering care and resources that are culturally and linguistically appropriate,” said Mohammed Selim, manager of community clinical programs and initiatives for M Health Fairview Community Advancement. “Since the program started, we have been building relationships and trust with our partners and communities. It’s so exciting to see the program continue to expand to address the emerging needs of our neighbors.”
Providing care where people live, work, learn, pray, and play
The immunization clinics take place in community-based settings such as local churches, mosques, schools, community centers, food pantries, and homeless shelters. Since January 2021, 88% of the people we served have identified as a person of color and 53% indicated a language other than English as their preferred language.
One community partner, St. Mary’s Health Clinics, a ministry of the Sisters of St. Josephs of Carondelet, has hosted 514 COVID-19 vaccination events since 2021 and more are scheduled. Serving primarily the Latinx community, St. Mary’s hosts clinics at the Mexican and Ecuadorian consulates, churches that celebrate Spanish masses, schools, and other locations where a high number of Latinx community members are located.
“In partnership with M Health Fairview, St. Mary’s hosts clinics at trusted community spaces that are convenient and non-threatening for participants,” said Cristina Flood Urdangarin, St. Mary’s Clinic Community Health Outreach Manager. “We want to eliminate barriers to getting the vaccine for people who may work several jobs, not have paid time off or transportation, and may not speak English or have health insurance. Getting vaccinated at church or school with your entire family makes it easy.”
The clinics are staffed by Spanish speaking people and members of the community who address cultural norms, misinformation, or fears. Providing education is essential to overcoming vaccination hesitations.
“Vaccination is not as common in the Latinx culture and many people would say, ‘Oh, I don’t get sick,’” said Urdangarin. “We’ve had to overcome that misconception. It has taken a lot of education. Now, people count on us to provide vaccines in the community each year.”
The M Health Fairview team partners with St. Mary’s — a partner since the start of MINI — to offer the clinics. The MINI team provides the vaccines, nurse vaccinators, and culturally relevant education. St. Mary’s organizes the space, volunteers, and promotes the availability of the clinics in the community through their clinics, social media, Latinx radio programming and newspapers, and word of mouth.
“The team from M Health Fairview is very respectful, professional, and welcoming,” said Urdangarin. “Their flexibility and openness to ideas is key to the success of the MINI program.”
M Health Fairview’s mission and vision extend beyond traditional healthcare settings, driving a healthier future for the communities we serve. The Community Advancement team leads our health system’s efforts to engage with community partners to develop upstream, proactive approaches to address the social determinants of health — factors that may not seem directly health related but have a big impact on health and wellbeing.
