Hispanic Liaison Project

About the Program

Category: Health (Best in Category)

Year: 2022

The Hispanic Liaison project was initiated at the Forsyth County Department of Public Health in March 2020. Its primary purpose was to build a bridge between the FCDPH and the Hispanic community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff members assigned to the project immediately began working to disseminate accurate health and safety information, to collaborate with local Hispanic leaders, and to address health disparities in the Hispanic community. Early initiatives included visiting Hispanic-owned businesses to educate about the 3 Ws (Wear a mask, Wash your hands, Wait three feet apart) and distribute face masks. Staff members also collaborated with the Hispanic League to deliver education through Facebook Live sessions. Later efforts included events to promote vaccines and to give away food, masks, and educational materials in under-resourced areas. Staff also began operating a Spanish-language hotline so that community members could call in to get culturally informed answers to their questions about pandemic safety, testing, vaccines, or health department services. In the first year of operation, they answered more than 1,000 calls, and this hotline continues to be a vital source of trustworthy information for the Hispanic community.