When The University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing partnered with the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement (DDCE), the City of Austin, and Mt. Zion and Rehoboth Baptist Churches to launch the African American Mental Health and Wellness (AMEN) program in 2019, they never envisioned how vital the program would become, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Designed to support the mental and physical health of African American residents in the Austin area, the program has become a lifeline to many in the largely east Austin community.
“In the early days of the pandemic, members of the AMEN team worked with pastors and lay health workers within churches to conduct a community assessment to determine the needs of congregants,” said Jacki Hecht, RN, MSN, managing director of the AMEN Program. “We assessed their need for more information about COVID, access to medical care and supplies, and feelings of loneliness. We also asked about what they were doing to cope with the uncertainty and hardships caused by the pandemic.”
The team offered a six-week faith-based, holistic mental health and wellness program using Zoom to encourage participants to engage in the five behaviors known to improve mental wellness: mindfulness, healthy eating, physical activity, sleep, and social connectedness. A monthly mental health dialogue focused on topics such as grief, loss, and loneliness; self-care; the impact of racism on health; COVID vaccine safety; heart disease prevention; advanced care planning; and mindfulness.
Team advisor Shannon Jones, BSN, RN and Hecht also host a radio show twice a month during which they welcome community organization leaders and people with lived experience to talk about mental health and wellness.
In addition to providing on-site clinical services, mental health education programs and mental health training for pastors, the AMEN team joined forces with the UT Austin School of Nursing to assist with the School’s Vaccination Administration Mobile Operations (VAMOS), the drive-through COVID vaccination clinics set up at area churches and other local community sites. The mobile clinics were launched to ensure that Austin-area residents who have limited access to requesting online appointments or are unable to travel to large vaccination sites can receive vaccinations.
One such site is Mt. Zion Baptist Church, where Angela Robertson-Bigham, a certified community health worker and wellness coordinator for church community outreach efforts, serves as the VAMOS communications coordinator. Robertson-Bigham oversaw one of the first church-based mobile vaccine clinics at her church, Rehoboth Baptist Church, and continues to assist with other mobile vaccine clinics and homebound visits.
Before the VAMOS clinics were established, she explained, members of her church were hesitant to take the vaccine due to misinformation.
“Many people who come to be vaccinated are anxious and worried,” Robertson-Bigham said. “I try to put them at ease, answer their questions and let them know we will provide really good care to keep them safe. I share my own experience of being anxious about needles and assure them the needles are small, the shot will go super fast, and they can take some pain relief medicine afterward, if they need it.”
For these efforts, the AMEN program has received a “Together We Will Heal” Hero Award, a new award created in direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the African American community, particularly on people living with mental health challenges, substance use disorders, and intellectual and developmental disabilities. The group recognizes the untold hardships that frontline workers are experiencing during this challenging time. The presentation was made at the annual Central Texas African American Family Support Conference on Wednesday, February 9, 2022.
In addition to the team award, Robertson-Bigham also received a Hero Award for her work coordinating the mobile vaccination clinics and managing a community garden where the community can learn about the important intersection of mind-body-spirit in overall well-being.
“There are so many quiet heroes working in the community, sharing important health care information and helping people address the chronic conditions they deal with every day,” Hecht said. “We’re grateful to all these helpers, including School of Nursing students and faculty, and AMEN health workers like Angela, who volunteer at these public events, providing health-related resources and helping people learn how to strengthen their immune systems. Our community is safer and stronger as a result of this collaboration.”
Stephanie Morgan, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, is no stranger to setting up and maintaining COVID-19 vaccination clinics. Thanks to her work with the team of nursing faculty and students, other health care providers, and volunteers that was formed in December 2020 when the vaccine first became available, she has been able to pull together and train teams to work with children, ages 5 to 11 in elementary and middle schools in Del Valle, an underserved community in southeast Austin.
“Depending on the size of the event we need one to two non-clinical check-in individuals, two to four vaccinators, one to two mixers, one observation individual and a clinical lead,” she said. “On the day of the event, we estimate the number of vaccines to be administered and pack vaccine and supplies according to that estimation.”
The team arrives at the event one hour before the start time to set up and prepare the first vials of vaccine. Once they assemble, they conduct a brief with team members so everyone is clear on the plan and can ask questions.
“Likewise, when the vaccine clinic event is over, we debrief to determine what worked well and identify opportunities for improvement next time,” Dr. Morgan said. “At the conclusion, an event report is required to capture a summary that includes the type of vaccine(s) administered, doses given (first, second, immunocompromised or booster) and totals. It also includes doses wasted and if the waste was in a vial or syringe.”
BSNs learn the Covid-19 vaccine routine—and pick up some clinical pediatric experience
Across town, Amayrany Maya-Mora, BSN, RN, and public health nurse at the School of Nursing’s Children’s Wellness Clinic (CWC), begins her day by checking the clinic’s refrigerator and freezer temperatures to ensure that all vaccines are maintained in the proper storage conditions. She then checks in with the front office staff to see if any children are waiting to receive vaccines during the morning walk-in clinic.
“During our daily walk-in clinic at CWC, which runs from 8 to 9 a.m., we usually serve around five to seven children,” Maya-Mora said. “I follow this up by entering vaccine data into Immtrac, the state vaccine registry, order vaccines and supplies, and prepare for any upcoming vaccine events.”
The CWC staff spent a lot of time prior to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention authorization of the Pfizer and BioNTech SE COVID-19 vaccine for use in children 5 to 11 years old. Once the authorization was given in October 2021, the UT Austin School of Nursing was primed to begin providing it at both the CWC and the Family Wellness Clinic in addition to the area schools.
“Although the basic foundation for providing vaccinations at CWC was already in place, we still needed to provide more specific training,” Maya-Mora said. “We already give vaccines to children, but the COVID vaccine is different in its storage and reconstitution. Plus, we knew training would help boost the confidence of outside volunteers and nursing students. Vaccinating young children can be stressful if not done properly.”
“It’s important to be honest with children.”
Fortunately, Eduardo Chavez, PhD, RN, and a clinical assistant professor at the School of Nursing, had created a power-point training outlining creative ways to help volunteers feel confident and create a more relaxed atmosphere for children getting vaccinated. The slide show demonstrated how to safely hold pediatric patients, addressed appropriate needle lengths and provided communication techniques on how to talk honestly to children. “It’s important to be honest with children,” Maya-Mora added.
In addition, the team provided information to parents and others in the community.
“We made available information about studies and trials regarding the risk of side effects and what types of side effects they might expect,” Maya-Mora said. “There has been a great response, and parents have been very excited about our being able to partner with the Del Valle Independent School District and offer vaccines at their children’s schools. Unlike the CWC, not all pediatric clinics around the Austin area offer the vaccine, so we also provide Saturday clinics at Dailey Middle School and at the Opportunity Center at Del Valle High School. These walk-in clinics will be open through January from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. It’s very important for parents to remember it’s a two-shot process.”
“Because the School of Nursing was prepared to administer vaccines as soon as they arrived, Del Valle ISD was the first Travis County school district to offer vaccinations in their schools with both doses available before the end of the year,” Dr. Morgan said. “That will amount to an average of 70 vaccinations given at each of the nine elementary schools in Del Valle. Parents who take advantage of these free clinics in their own communities can now relax, knowing that their kids — and their schools — are safer. Vaccinating children is an art, but with training, encouragement, and teamwork, we can increase the number of vaccinators and ensure that children are able to receive the COVID vaccine.”
