Who We Are
Aliados por la salud is a two-year research project funded by the National Institutes of Health (RADxUP) initiative that works in a community-engaged collaborative with United Way of Merced County, Canal Alliance of San Rafael in Marin County, and researchers at UC San Francisco, UC Merced, and UC Berkeley. We aim to understand factors that have led to the disproportionate burden of the pandemic on underserved populations and to support improved access and availability of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) testing.
COMMUNITY GOALS & RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
Our work is focused on how best to deliver COVID-19 testing to heavily affected Latinx communities in San Rafael and Planada.
Goal 1: To create a collaborative network between community leaders, members, and community-based organizations in Marin, Merced, and San Francisco to identify challenges and propose solutions for improving COVID-19 service delivery.
Goal 2: To understand the burden of COVID-19 in majority Latino communities by offering community-based, free, and easy-to-access COVID-19 testing and supportive response for those who test positive.
Goal 3: Implement community-responsive testing.
Objective 1: Evaluate the implementation of the Latino COVID-19 Collaborative (LCC) model to promote COVID-19 test and response initiatives in two majority Latinx communities, Planada (Merced County) & San Rafael (Marin County), with low COVID-19 testing success.
Objective 2: Determine the population-level prevalence of active (PCR+) SARS-CoV-2 infection, most at-risk subgroups, and attitudes and preferences regarding COVID-19 testing services during low-barrier, community-based mass testing campaigns in the two Northern California study communities.
Objective 3: Evaluate the implementation of community-responsive COVID-19 testing strategies, delivered by local community health workers (“promotoras”) and tailored to the needs of the two study communities post-COVID-19 vaccine scale-up in Northern California.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES & APPROACH
Guiding Principles: Commitment to treating partners equitably, research for community capacity building, meaningful participation and authentic community collaboration!
Community: Latino COVID-19 Collaboration (LCC) → CBO’s and community leaders serving Planada (Merced County) & the Canal District in San Rafael (Marin County) ; Aliados por la salud → United Way of Merced County, Canal Alliance & UC San Francisco, UC Merced, UC Berkley
We work heavily with Promotoras Latinas del Valle Central in every aspect of our work.
We commit to treating community partners equitably.
We use research as a mechanism for community capacity building.
We ensure the meaningful participation of partners who communicate in Spanish.
Take a Rapid Test Today!
We will update the times for the next rapid testing events as we get them!
In Action
