Targeted Case Management (COVID-19 vaccination) Support Workers

Children, families and clients with complex needs face unique barriers and can sometimes demonstrate hesitancy in accessing COVID-19 vaccinations. Barriers may include a limited ability to engage with culturally and contextually relevant education and awareness opportunities.

Low vaccinations rates in such settings will not only hinder the ability to reach high state-wide rates but will also place those already in vulnerable positions at a greater risk of contracting COVID-19. As a result, social disadvantage experienced by such cohorts will be further exacerbated & entrenched.

Case management delivery capacity will facilitate targeted approaches to address barriers to vaccine access and any associated hesitancy. Case managers will work collaboratively with individuals and communities from the priority cohort/s to identify, link with and organise the direct support and other associated activities required to increase vaccination uptake in priority cohorts.

The Targeted Case Management for COVID-19 Vaccination initiative will support access to vaccination for children, families and clients with complex needs, by providing targeted case management capacity in settings and services currently funded by DFFH to support to children, families and clients with complex needs

This program will deliver activities that reduce COVID-19 vaccine misinformation and hesitancy, remove practical barriers to accessing vaccine and support increased uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine amongst priority cohorts.

The provision of targeted case management and the ability to work with priority cohorts to increase vaccination uptake are key deliverables of this program.

Program Objectives:

• Improve access by removing practical barriers to COVID-19 vaccinations including liaising with other Homeless, Health, and Mental health networks to achieve outcomes
• Promote and increase vaccine confidence through targeted case management

 Program Outcomes:

• Increased number of clients who have received COVID-19 Vaccinations by 15 June 2022
• Practical barriers for clients to access vaccinations are reduced, removed or navigated successfully
• Increased MOSS consumer participation in vaccination programs
• Improved health literacy in relation to COVID-19 vaccinations and related health systems amongst MOSS consumers
• Strengthened partnerships between organisations, their consumers and their consumers’ communities
• MOSS have an improved understanding of consumers’ reasons for vaccine hesitancy amongst targeted cohorts, to inform future case work and behaviour change initiatives.