Highlights
Black Maternal Health Week 2026
Why do we need black maternal health week? Black Maternal Health Week is held every year to increase awareness about issues facing Black women in pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. It is an opportunity to share information about specific health concerns that impact black maternal health and promote information about the interventions and resources available to those women. This year’s theme, “Rooted in Justice and Joy” means intentionally working on equitable outcomes for Black women by improving laws, programs,…Read more
VDH Launches Statewide CBERS Tabletop Exercise Series
The Virginia Department of Health’s (VDH) Office of Preparedness (OEP) launched its 2026 Community-Based Emergency Response Series (CBERS) program. CBERS is a statewide tabletop exercise series designed to strengthen Virginia’s readiness for large-scale emergencies. The first session kicked off last week, bringing together partners from emergency management, public health, public safety, healthcare, social services, behavioral health, and public information. In today’s complex emergency landscape, major incidents often require…Read more
National Minority Health Month is a time to raise awareness about health disparities and about how we promote health equity at VDH. Minority health refers to populations that have been historically underserved, underrepresented or face barriers to achieving optimal health due to social and economic drivers of health, or environmental factors including lack of access to safe environments. This includes racial and ethnic minority groups, as well as communities defined by culture, language, disability,…Read more