Tag: highlight

Last week, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) proudly celebrated National Community Health Worker (CHW) Awareness Week, August 24–28, with a week of connection, recognition, learning, and celebration. 

This year’s theme, “Cultivating Community,” highlighted the essential role CHWs play in planting seeds of trust, building meaningful relationships, connecting individuals to resources, and helping communities thrive. Throughout the week, we were reminded that CHWs are not simply working in communities; they are rooted in them. 

 

Monday: Seeded in Community Facilitated by Camille McCray (59 participants) 

We kicked off the week with “Conversations with Dr. Webb,” an opportunity for CHWs and colleagues across VDH to hear directly from leadership and reflect on the importance of community-centered work. 

The conversation provided an opportunity to recognize the foundation CHWs bring to public health and the value of investing in relationships, trust, and the lived experiences of the communities we serve. 

Video recording: Seeded in Community: https://www.zoomgov.com/rec/share/E3nsPuTm9AFedPhRI4abUoNRbmzVoxFAE25chpVS0gRzU0T5lDFvu1kG-C91Vw0s.… 
Passcode: 5O6JS6Y$ 

 

Tuesday: Grounded in Community Facilitated by Marla Ricart Chickahominy CHW (17 attendees)

Tuesday focused on being “Grounded in Community” through an in-person Networking Lunch and Learn at the Chickahominy Health District. 

The gathering created space for CHWs and public health partners to connect, share experiences, exchange ideas, and strengthen relationships. The conversations throughout the day served as a powerful reminder that collaboration is one of our greatest community assets. 

 

Wednesday: Nourished in Community (Partnership with the Virginia Association of CHWs) Facilitated by Kiara Christian and Stephanie Carrington (54 attendees)  

By Wednesday, the celebration continued with opportunities for learning, connection, and professional development. 

Being “Nourished in Community” means creating spaces where CHWs can continue to learn, grow, and feel supported in the important work they do every day. The week provided opportunities to celebrate CHWs while also recognizing the importance of equipping and investing in the workforce. 

Session recording: Nourished in Community: https://www.zoomgov.com/rec/share/U7hr1ZNJ743PH6MOWjZM3WTbHoiuhWPKhOJrR6LUHd8bzc7KptAqTTfAKGNjaZKR.… 
Passcode: Ky1@267H 

 

Thursday: Growing in Community (Portsmouth Health District) Facilitated by: Torka Reed, Portsmouth CHW (34 attendees)  

Thursday’s theme, “Growing in Community,” centered on the growth that happens when people come together. 

Through shared experiences, professional connections, and meaningful conversations, CHWs demonstrated the strength of a workforce that continues to evolve alongside the communities it serves. 

Growth does not happen in isolation. It happens through relationships, collaboration, mentorship, learning, and a shared commitment to improving health and well-being. 

 

Friday: Flourish in Community, Partnership with CHW Strength 

We closed out National CHW Awareness Week with “Flourish in Community.” 

The week reminded us that when CHWs are supported, communities flourish. Their work strengthens connections, increases access to resources, builds trust, and helps individuals and families navigate systems that can often feel overwhelming. 

More importantly, this week was more than celebrating a profession. It was about recognizing the people behind the work, the CHWs who show up, listen, advocate, connect, educate, encourage, and walk alongside community members every day. 

Cultivating Community Beyond One Week 

As National CHW Awareness Week ends. The celebration does not have to end. 

Thank you for being rooted in community. 

Thank you for building bridges. 

Thank you for cultivating trust. 

And thank you for helping Virginia’s communities flourish. 

ED Bridge to Treatment Program and Overdose Needs Assessment Tool strengthen Virginia’s data-driven approach to overdose prevention, treatment and recovery 

As Virginia recognizes International Overdose Awareness Day on August 31, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is highlighting two of many key efforts supporting the Commonwealth’s response to drug overdose: 

• Emergency Department (ED) Bridge to Treatment Program  

• Drug Overdose Needs Assessment Tool 

These efforts use healthcare partnerships and data-driven strategies to identify communities with more need. They: 

• connect individuals to treatment, and  

• strengthen overdose prevention efforts. 

While there is still much work to be done, recent VDH data show encouraging progress in reducing fatal drug overdoses in Virginia. Drug overdose deaths decreased 37% in 2024 compared with 2023. Preliminary data for 2025 show a continued decreasing trend. 

VDH’s Drug Overdose Needs Assessment Tool uses data to guide prevention resources to communities at higher need for drug overdose prevention.  

VDH also supports the Emergency Department (ED) Bridge to Treatment Program. The VDH Office of Family Health Services and Carilion Clinic partnered to launch the program in 2018. The program connects patients in the ED with appropriate follow up care. This includes people who present to the ED with:   

• non-fatal overdose,  

• acute withdrawal, or 

• requests for substance use treatment.  

Care may include prescriptions, peer recovery support, case management, and access to treatment providers.  

As part of its work to replicate this model statewide, VDH and Carilion continue to share its effective model with hospitals and health systems across Virginia.  For more information visit VDH. 

This year in August, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is celebrating its first Virginia Immunization Awareness month. August is a great time to talk about the importance of immunizations while children and their families are returning back to school.   Ensuring children are up to date on their immunizations helps keep all children safe and healthy during the school year. In addition to educating parents about the importance of routine immunizations, VDH works with stakeholders and community partners to ensure that families have access to vaccines, regardless of insurance status. 

 

 

Increasing Access 

VDH manages over 750 locations enrolled in the Virginia Vaccines for Children (VVFC) and Virginia Vaccines for Adults (VVFA) programs, which include our local health departments.  These locations provide routine vaccines at little to no cost to eligible persons. Local health districts partner with school divisions and communities to offer convenient options for vaccine clinics at schools or community events for families.   

Making Things Easier 

In 2025, VDH rolled out a new records request portal to help families easily find their records for immunizations received in Virginia. This one-stop shop helps ensure Virginians have the records they need for work, school, or childcare without having to track down records from multiple locations. Thanks to a grant from the Virginia Department of Social Services, VDH has been able to provide translation support to school partners who receive records from families in another language. 

What Can You Do?   

Share our information and resources with your communities.  We have handouts and social media content in multiple languages. 

• VDH Back-to-School Communication Toolkits 

• • Social media graphics 

• • Flyers 

• • Infographics 

• VDH Measles Communication Toolkit 

• • Social media graphics 

• • Infographic 

• • Pamphlet 

• VDH School Requirements Page 

• • Immunization Letters to Parents for rising kindergarteners, 7th graders, and 12th graders 

• • Immunization Requirements 

• • Request immunization records 

• • Find a Vaccines for Children provider (for uninsured or under insured) 

Today is Virginia Intern Day. The Virginia Department of Health would like to express deep gratitude for the work of our interns and what they have contributed to our mission.

This year, 34 interns joined the VDH Internship Academy’s fourth cohort – from a pool of 1,274 applicants. They have been working across the agency, gaining valuable experience in programs from accounting to shellfish monitoring.  In the Internship Academy’s four-year story, we’ve hosted 127 interns from 47 institutions of higher education from 19 states and D.C.

For the fourth consecutive year, VDH has been recognized as a top internship employer in Virginia. Three of the six specific intern awards announced in April 2026, by the State Council on Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV), were from VDH’s Internship Academy. Plus, three additional Academy interns were honored as Virginia’s Top 50 Interns as part of SCHEV’s inaugural awards.

In addition to the Internship Academy, our partnership with Norfolk State University has welcomed over 100 of talented informatics student interns over the past three years. Including 18 interns of who joined us this year, they have designed data tools and process improvements which have been implemented across the agency. Beyond these programs, VDH nursing staff continue to provide highly regarded clinical training experiences that support nurses at every stage of their education and career.

All these internship opportunities reflect VDH’s long-standing culture of mentorship and its commitment to developing Virginia’s future public health workforce.

To the VDH staff who have mentored and worked alongside our interns: thank you. Your investment in the next generation of public health leaders is an investment in Virginia’s future.

To our interns, you have made VDH better.  I hope you will take what you have learned at VDH into communities and roles to create meaningful change.

On Friday, July 31 our Academy interns will be presenting their posters on the mezzanine at the Madison Building from 9– 10:30am. If you’re able, please take some time to see the remarkable contributions they’ve made to VDH and to the Commonwealth. I hope you can join us. You can also review their work, along with previous cohorts, our website.

Enjoying sunny days has its advantages. But there are disadvantages too. July is Ultraviolet (UV) Protection Month. Light from the sun can be harmful. UV rays can cause cancer, known as melanoma. Melanoma of the skin is the sixth most common cancer in Virginia. Below are some suggestions of how to protect you and your family.  

• Wear sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher 

• Find shade during the hottest parts of the day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

• Wear sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat 

• Wear clothing to cover your skin 

The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) works with the Cancer Action Coalition of Virginia. The partnership focuses on protecting Virginians from skin cancer. Together, we share information and other resources to support

• schools 

• summer camps, and 

• parks and recreation settings.   

The resources we provide include: 

• sunscreen dispensers,  

• sunscreen refills, 

• educational posters, and  

• sample sun safety policy guidance for parks and recreation settings. 

Please visit the Cancer Coalition’s website for more information and to order the Sun Safety Schools Toolkit.    

• For more information about cancer in Virginia, visit VDH’s Cancer Prevention Programs webpage.  

• For more information about skin cancer, visit the CDC’s Sun Safety Facts webpage. 

A safe day at the beach starts with a little planning. Check your local beach advisory before you go to help you choose the safest place to swim. Beach conditions can change quickly after rain or storms, and advisories tell you if bacteria levels are higher than normal. A quick check can help you pick a clean, healthy spot for your family. 

Rip currents are another danger to watch for. They can form even when the ocean looks calm. These fastmoving channels of water often appear near piers or jetties. They can pull swimmers away from shore before they realize what is happening. Look for posted warnings and stay in areas watched by lifeguards. 

Basic safety steps also make a big difference.  

• Make sure everyone has strong swimming skills.  

• Always swim with a buddy.  

• Choose a responsible adult to be the water watcher and keep eyes on children at all times.  

• Use U.S. Coast Guard–approved life jackets when needed. 

• Know how to recognize and respond to a swimmer in distress and how to perform CPR. 

• Don’t drink and swim. Alcohol slows your reflexes and can lead to poor decisions in the water. Stay out of the water if you’ve been drinking. 

Good hygiene helps keep beaches clean, too. Shower before and after swimming, wash hands often, and take kids for bathroom breaks every hour. Stay out of the water if you are sick or have open cuts. 

With a few simple steps, you can enjoy the beach and keep you and your loved ones safe. For more safety tips, please visit swimhealthyva.com. 

School is out – and vacations, swimming, summer camps, and playing outside are in! 

But these activities can cause unwanted health problems such as sunburn, heat-related illness, swimming injuries or drowning, and illness related to tick bites. 

Review this checklist to keep you and your family safe and healthy this summer. 

Protect Your Skin from the Sun  

• Sunburns are painful, and too much sun can lead to serious health issues, including cancer. 

• CDC recommends sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 or higher with both UVA and UVB protection for all skin tones. 

• Reduce sun exposure between 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. 

• Apply a thick layer and reapply sunscreen at least every two hours and after swimming, sweating and toweling off. 

• Seeking shade, wearing a shirt and hat will also help protect against dangerous UV radiation.  

 Stay Cool 

• Heat-related deaths and illnesses are preventable. Despite this fact there were more than 4,000 emergency department and urgent care visits for heat-related illness in Virginia last summer.  

• Heat-related illness ranges from mild (heat cramps) to severe (heat stroke, death). It occurs when the body is unable to properly cool itself.   

• Tips to avoid heat-related illness when planning to be outside: make sure you pack water to stay hydrated, dress for the heat, take breaks if you need to, and look out for symptoms of overheating, such as headache, nausea, dizziness, heavy sweating, or fainting.  

Prepare and Handle Food Correctly 

• Thaw and marinate food in the refrigerator. Cook food to a safe internal temperature. Store cooked food in a hot holding area (like an insulated container).
• Keep food cold with ice packs. Don’t let food sit out for more than two hours, or for one hour if the temperatures are higher than 90 degrees.
• Don’t cross-contaminate.
  • Wash fresh produce before cutting. Use clean utensils and wash/sanitize in between use.
  • Store raw meat on the bottom shelf to avoid meat juices from dripping on other food.
  • Wash your hands before, during and after handling food.
• Use your grill correctly and outside.
• Learn more.

Practice Water Safety

• It’s important to teach children basic water safety skills to prevent drowning. 

•  Children should: 
  • Understand the differences between swimming pools and open bodies of water, including river currents and ocean undertow.  
  • Learn to swim and know how to jump into water over their heads, tread water for one minute, float on their backs and exit a swimming pool without a ladder. 
• Adults should: 
  • Always actively watch children when they are in or near water. 
  • Make sure a home pool is gated and locked. 

 Prevent Tick Bites 

When planning to be outside use EPA-approved tick repellants and check for ticks at the end of the day. 

Stay Up to Date on Vaccinations 

Ensure your family is up to date on vaccinations. Illnesses such as measles, chickenpox, and whooping cough can spread quickly in a camp setting.  

Practice Good Hygiene  

Pack hand sanitizer and talk to your child about how to wash their hands.

Prioritizing this list will help ensure a healthy and safe summer. 

Friday, June 19 is World Sickle Cell Day. Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited condition. The blood cells are rigid, sticky and shaped like a crescent, rather than like healthy cells that are round a flexible.  People with sickle cell disease often suffer severe chronic pain. The disease can also lead to life-threatening complications. 

SCD is a disease that is passed from parents to children. If two people have the sickle cell trait and they decide to have children, there’s a 1 in 4 chance of having a child with sickle cell disease. It is important to know your trait status. Talk to your healthcare provider about getting tested. A simple blood test can determine whether you are a carrier.  

An estimated 4,000 to 5,000 people in Virginia live with SCD. It is a disease that affects millions of people throughout the world. SCD primarily affects Black people or people of African descent. Although, people from South and Central America, the Middle East, Italy, and Greece are also impacted.  

Earlier this month, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger signed into law a legislative package that assists parents, teachers and healthcare professionals who support people living with SCD.  The new law, called the Queen Candis Act, is named in honor of the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s daughter, Candis Gabriella King. King died at 15-years-old, due to complications related to SCD. The new legislation is designed to: 

• Provide training for school nurses and coaches 

• Improve education for individuals supporting SCD patients 

• Establish Virginia’s sickle cell trait program 

• Establish the Sickle Cell Coordinated Access program to better connect healthcare providers 

The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) partners with several health care systems to provide clinical care for people living with SCD. Other programs include the Virginia Statewide Sickle Cell Disease Registry. It is a database designed to help public health officials improve care. The secure database: 

• Helps improve referrals  

• Helps healthcare providers learn more about the diseases 

• Improves healthcare  

• Supports research 

If you are interested in more information about sickle cell disease, visit the VDH website. 

June is Men’s Health Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about preventable health issues and encouraging men across the Commonwealth to take steps toward healthier lives. The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is encouraging men to use available health programs and preventive services to better understand their health and reduce long-term health risks. 

VDH also wants men to get regular checkups and take care of their health. Start today. Even small changes can help you feel better and stay healthy. 

• Check your blood pressure and get regular health checkups. 

• Talk to a friend, family member or doctor about your health goals. They can help you stay on track. 

• Be active. Try to walk every day, even if it is just for 20 to 30 minutes. Walking can help your heart, lower stress and help you feel better. 

• Get enough sleep and try limit your alcohol intake. 

• Visit QuitNowVirginia.org, or call 1-800-Quit Now if you are a current smoker or nicotine user. 

• If you’re having a hard time – get help by calling the 988 Lifeline. Talk with someone whether that’s a friend or professional.  Staying mentally health can help protect your physical health.    

Many of the Local Health Districts offer programs and services that support men’s health, including: 

• Blood pressure monitoring and heart health awareness: Men are encouraged to regularly check their blood pressure and learn about heart disease prevention. An estimated 31% of Virginia adults are living with hypertension, or high blood pressure, a condition that continues to affect men at disproportionately high rates and increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.   

• Nutrition and healthy lifestyle education: Promotes balanced diets rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains to help lower the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension.  

• Vaccination services: Immunizations for adults, including tetanus, hepatitis B, influenza, COVID-19, HPV, and other routine vaccines that help protect long-term health.  

• Sexual health services and STI prevention: HIV/STI testing, sexual health resources, and free condoms to help reduce the spread of sexually transmitted infections across Virginia communities.  

For more information about men’s health and programs, contact your Local Health District at or visit the Virginia Department of Health website. 

Algal blooms can occur when warm water and nutrients combine to make conditions favorable for algae growth. Most algae species are harmless. However, some species may produce irritating compounds or toxins.  

Some harmful algae, called cyanobacteria, can cause skin rash and gastrointestinal illnesses, such as upset stomach, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Avoid discolored water or scum that is green or bluish-green because it could contain toxins. 

To prevent illness, people should: 

• Avoid contact with any area of the water that is green or an advisory sign is posted. WHEN IN DOUBT, STAY OUT! 

• Do not allow children or pets to drink from natural bodies of water. 

• Keep children and pets out of the areas experiencing a harmful algal bloom. 

• Quickly wash exposed skin and/or wash your pets off with plenty of fresh, clean water after coming into contact with algae scum or water with algal blooms. 

• Seek medical/veterinarian care if you or your animals experience symptoms after swimming in or near an algal bloom. 

• Properly clean fish by removing skin and discarding all internal organs and cooking fish to the proper temperature to ensure fish fillets are safe to eat.  

• Contact the Harmful Algal Bloom Hotline at 1-888-238-6154 if you suspect you experienced health-related effects following exposure to a harmful algal bloom. 

Visit www.SwimHealthyVA.com to learn more about harmful algal blooms or how to report an algae bloom or fish kill.