PRESS RELEASE

Long Beach, CA – The City of Long Beach is launching a second round of Request for Proposals (RFP) to partner with community organizations to implement programs that address the systemic barriers and racism that created the inequitable differences seen locally throughout the pandemic and address the impacts of COVID-19 in the most at-risk, historically underserved and under-resourced communities in Long Beach.

The selected community organizations will receive funding to engage in key health activities in one of the below categories. Definitions and examples of each category are provided within the RFP.

• Mental Health Supports or Trauma-Informed Responses
• Parent and Child Health
• Chronic Disease Management and/or Health Education and Outreach
• Physical Activity and Engagement
• Safe Neighborhoods and Violence Prevention
• Economic Inclusion and Resiliency

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on specific communities within Long Beach, particularly identified in the hospitalization rates for COVID-19. In 2021 and 2022, the City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department) conducted data analyses to identify the risk factors most likely associated with hospitalizations due to illness from COVID-19 as well as the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in Long Beach. The analysis determined that death or hospitalization from COVID-19 have been concentrated inequitably in regions of West, Central and North Long Beach and within communities that are primarily Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, Hispanic/Latinx, or Southeast Asian.

Additional community engagement was undertaken as part of this analysis, along with review of previous City plans such as the Framework for Reconciliation and Health Department’s Strategic Plan, to address systemic racism and barriers facing these groups. Input from the Black Health Equity Collaborative, Cambodian, Filipino and Pacific Islander youth focus groups, and the Mi Vida Cuenta Latinx Health Initiative were all guiding influences in the development of this funding opportunity.

In fall 2022, the Health Department selected and awarded over $3 million in funding to support 21 community organizations under the Health Equity Community Projects program.

Eligible organizations are encouraged to submit proposals through the City’s Vendor Portal, Long Beach Buys, by 5 p.m. on Sept. 20, 2023. Specific details related to project scope areas, eligibility requirements, evaluation criteria, and submission instructions are available at Long Beach Buys . The City also has developed an instructional video on the registration process.

This program is made possible by the Long Beach Recovery Act, a plan to fund economic and public health initiatives for Long Beach residents, workers and businesses critically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this RFP and the prior Health Equity Community Projects solicitation in 2022, more than $4 million in funding will be invested in community organizations that have knowledge and expertise in serving communities most adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional information about the Long Beach Recovery Act is available at longbeach.gov/recovery.

Media inquiries may be directed to Jennifer Rice Epstein, Public Affairs Officer, Department of Health and Human Services, at 562.441.3590 or Jennifer.RiceEpstein@longbeach.gov.