National Immunization Awareness Month

Vaccines are important tools that protect against severe illnesses from COVID-19, flu, Human papillomavirus (HPV), whooping cough and more. You need vaccines throughout your life, from infancy to adulthood.

Did you know that you may be eligible for free immunizations from your local health office? Vermont has 12 local health offices throughout the state. To find a local health office near you, visit the Vermont Department of Health.

Talk with your health care provider about recommended vaccines for you and your family.

Find more information about important health topics and resources in other languages at the Vermont Department of Health.

Información de salud en Español (Spanish)

नेपालीमा स्वास्थ्यसम्बन्धी जानकारी (Nepali)

المعلومات الصحية باللغة العربية (Arabic)

First African Landing Day in Vermont

First African Landing Day Vermont will be on August 24^th from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00

p.m. at the Intervale Center in Burlington.

The purpose of this day is to recognize and highlight the resilience and contributions of African Americans since 1619, to acknowledge the impact that slavery and laws that enforced racial discrimination had [have] on the United States, and to educate the public about the arrival of Africans in the United States to the United States.

For more information on the event please see: First African Landing Day Vermont

3rd Annual Community Health Education Fair

All Brains Belong (ABB) invites you to attend the 3rd Annual Community Health Education Fair.

August 24, 2024, 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on the Vermont State House Lawn in Montpelier.

For the past 3 years, ABB has been bringing people together to reimagine healthcare as community connection.

ABA believes that every person is the expert of their own lives. They bring the community together so that people can get the support they need.

Community storytelling & music will also be Livestreamed (courtesy of our friends at ORCA Media. Click here to access the livestream.

Conscious Homestead

Conscious Homestead is a space where Black and Brown folks can be active in the art of liberation.

“We embody freedom and wholeness through nurturing the land and collective while being in service to our ancestors. We exist because the practices of capitalism have undermined our safety, health, and sovereignty. We exist to care for our immediate needs and create opportunities to build a thriving future, unapologetically centering those who live at the most intersections of oppression.”

Conscious Homestead was one of the community-based organizations that received funding from the Vermont Department of Health and Vermont Community Foundation through the CDC grant titled National Initiative to Address COVID-19 Health Disparities Among Populations at High-Risk and Underserved, Including Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations and Rural Communities.

The one-time funding allowed Conscious Homestead to hire critical operational support, including 2.7 full-time equivalent employees and five consultants.

"The grant funded our largest program, the Flying Fish Fellowship, an Afro-Indigenous farming program that offers immersive experiences on weekends through the summer for young BIPOC Vermonters. The grant also funded our Flying Fish Fellowship Reunion Retreats, Herbal Care Package Program, Black Rest Retreats, For the People Free Library, and Community Garden Collective."

Visit Conscious Homestead to see how you can get involved and support this local organization. 

State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) 

The Vermont Department of Health needs your help!

The SHIP is a five-year roadmap for ensuring that all people and communities in Vermont have inclusive, equitable, affordable, and sustainable access to opportunities for health and well-being. It reflects the shared efforts of state and community partners, outlining what we plan to achieve, how we will achieve it, and how we will know if we have achieved it. 

Based on findings from the State Health Assessment, there will be four goals in the SHIP, related to: 

• Housing 
• Cost of living 
• Access to care 
• Mental health and substance use 

There will be a workgroup for each SHIP goal that will include staff from state agencies, community-based organizations, and people with lived experience. The workgroups will be responsible for working with organizations, groups, and communities across the state to develop and implement action plans for the SHIP goal. SHIP workgroups will be active from fall 2024 through December 2029.  Specific responsibilities include: 

• Identify the strategies and measures to achieve and track progress on the SHIP goal. 
• Develop and carry out a workplan that details the activities required to implement the strategies, the timeline, and who is responsible. 
• Collaborate with other organizations and communities to implement the strategies. 
• Review and use data to guide improvement efforts. 
• Report annually on progress implementing the plan. 

If you are interested in participating in a SHIP workgroup, please complete this brief application by September 1, 2024. Please note that we may not be able to accommodate everyone who is interested.

WIC Community Innovation and Outreach Project

The WIC Community Innovation and Outreach Project (WIC CIAO), Request for Application for subgrants is now open!

The Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), Center for Nutrition and Health Impact (the Center, formerly the Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition), Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative (IFAI), and UnidosUS, announced a Request for Application for subgrants for the WIC Community Innovation and Outreach Project (WIC CIAO).

Interested organizations can learn more about the WIC CIAO funding opportunity and how to apply at hellowic.org/request-for-applications.

For application questions or technical assistance, please email wic-ciao@frac.org. 

Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. on September 6, 2024.

Healthy Communities Grant Program for New England

The Healthy Communities Grant Program is EPA New England's main competitive grant program to work directly with communities to reduce environmental risks to protect and improve human health and the quality of life. 

Applications for the 2024 Healthy Communities Grant Program are due November 1, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Entities eligible to receive Healthy Communities funding include state and local governments, public and private nonprofit institutions/organizations, federally recognized Indian Tribal governments, K-12 schools or school districts, and grassroots and community-based organizations.

Health Equity Tip: Back To School Environments

Many families and students are getting ready for the new school year. Equity in the classroom is an essential piece of a productive and healthy learning environment.

Supporting the needs, backgrounds, and abilities of all students is a complex task. Challenging our instinct or bias to prioritize the needs of white, straight, cisgender, and non-disabled and neurotypical students is the first step. This will reduce barriers for BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ students as well as those with physical and neurological disabilities.

If you work with students as a teacher, coach, or afterschool school provider or mentor consider the following tips to create inclusive and healthy spaces for students and their families: 

1. Reflect on your own beliefs

Understanding your own position, or the circumstances that create your identity in terms of race, gender and ability, can help you become more conscious of issues related to racial equity and gender equity, and help you support students in your class. 

2. Establish an inclusive environment early

Clarify early in the year that you want to create an inclusive space for students. It’s also important to let them know that name-calling, personal attacks, and hostile interactions won’t be tolerated.

3. Accommodate learning styles and disabilities

To create equity in the classroom for everyone, here are a few methods to try:

• Variance - Present the same information in different ways for visual, aural and verbal learners
• Use a variety of media (audiobooks, movies)
• Include transcripts for multimedia materials
• Provide supplemental materials to the lesson plan (glossaries, illustrations)
• Make technology accessible (give students the ability to increase text size or adjust brightness)
• For presentations, use dyslexia-friendly fonts 
• Read test instructions aloud, even if they appear in print

4. Be aware of religious holidays

When planning your course, remember to account for religious holidays and observances. Students may need to miss class on certain days and make up assignments, quizzes or exams.