Background The long history of distrust that characterizes the relationship between the Black/African-American population and the US Medical community makes COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy of great concern. A needs assessment of the Black/African-American community assessed willingness and explored the perceptions of community members regarding COVID-19 vaccination. Methods The study used a mixed-methods approach. Respondents ( n = 183) were surveyed with a web-based questionnaire. They were asked whether there would get vaccinated for COVID-19 barring any access or cost-related challenges. Perceptions of community members regarding vaccination were explored through one-on-one interviews ( n = 30) and eight focus groups ( n = 49), with participants drawn from across various demographic characteristics. Survey responses were summarized using frequencies and proportions. A thematic analysis was conducted on the qualitative data. Results Thirty-four percent of respondents indicated “Yes” (willing to get vaccinated); 26.8% indicated “No”, while 37.1% expressed hesitancy (“Maybe” or “I don’t know”). Themes emerging from the qualitative data are grouped into three broad categories: vaccine accessibility (transportation, information, navigating healthcare system); vaccine hesitancy (with sub-categories of compliance, complacency and confidence); and vaccine “resistance” (conspiracy theories, conflicting beliefs, distrust of Government, trustworthiness of Health care). Conclusion Findings demonstrate a nuanced expansion of “vaccine hesitancy” to delineate groups with varying issues and perspectives. Interventions to enhance vaccination rates in Black/African-American communities should incorporate components that assure accessibility at the minimum, but also address non-access-related issues. Priority should be given to enhancing vaccine literacy, information-sharing as efficacy and safety data emerge, and addressing specific concerns identified through community-engaged outreach efforts.

Preliminary outcomes of FCN training and CBSC for dementia CGs were promising. However, replication across the sample is required to evaluate the overall effectiveness of CBSC for reducing CG depression. Specific competencies and ethical considerations in supervising this form of intervention are also addressed.