KENTUCKY — The Biden-Harris administration is sending $6,379,712 to Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) in Kentucky for COVID-19 vaccination efforts, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) officials said.

The funds, which come from the American Rescue Plan, will go to 130 RHCs "who will use these resources to combat COVID-19 misinformation by developing and implementing additional vaccine confidence and outreach efforts," said a release from HHS. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), through the Rural Health Clinic Vaccine Confidence (RHCVC) program, will administer the funds.

“Rural health clinics play a crucial role in supporting our national vaccination effort to defeat COVID-19,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “This funding will give trusted messengers in rural communities the tools they need to counsel patients on how COVID-19 vaccines can help protect them and their loved ones.” 

The release noted, "RHCs are well positioned to disseminate information about how and where to get vaccinated at the local level, and coordinate with existing vaccination sites and public health partners to identify strategies to increase vaccine confidence among key populations."

The RHCs will also use the funds to improve health literacy, focusing on vaccine safety and the benefits of broad vaccination for rural communities.

The awards are based on the number of certified clinic sites the RHCs operate, providing roughly $49,500 per clinic site.

“Rural Health Clinics are critical partners in addressing health equity gaps, including those related to vaccination,” said HRSA Acting Administrator Diana Espinosa. “This funding will help Rural Health Clinics address the barriers people in their communities face to getting vaccinated and build confidence in vaccines through trusted resources for health care services and health information.”