COVID-19 trusted messenger and media partnership launches
Advancing racial and health equity and effective community engagement is an integral part of Ramsey County's COVID-19 response. In April, the COVID-19 Racial Equity and Community Engagement Response Team (RECERT) was formed to help inform the county's response and provide critical links between county operations and the residents we serve.
In early July, RECERT kicked off a new initiative with community organizations, trusted community messengers and media agencies to ensure the county's diverse racial, ethnic and cultural communities are informed about coronavirus and county and community services and resources during the pandemic.
Through the RECERT media and trusted messengers initiative, the county is partnering with a total of 27 organizations to:
- Provide culturally and linguistically appropriate information and resources to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
- Connect residents to resources and services for which they may qualify.
- Share health messaging and information on county services and programs through a culturally specific and linguistically appropriate manner.
Partners will assess the needs of their target population(s) and identify what topics and messages are a priority for promotion. They will then use a variety of engagement strategies and communications channels to reach the community.