Basic Information | Q & A with OMHHE’s Director
We Joined!: VA Congregations for Million Hearts Participants
First 10, Winning Congregations Announced for Million Hearts Initiative
Since its establishment in Virginia, Virginia’s Congregations for Million Hearts initiative has grown to more than 140 congregations across the state. As part of the national Million Hearts initiative, Virginia’s Congregations for Million Hearts enlists the support of faith-based organizations to help raise awareness and prevent cardiovascular disease by focusing on hypertension control.
The Virginia Department of Health, Office of Minority Health and Health Equity offers a number of resources to assist congregations organize, plan, and implement their heart health activities:
- The list of organizations currently in the initiative
- Virginia’s Congregations for Million Hearts Facebook page. Be sure to like us and post photos of your event!
- List of activity ideas. Do you have another idea that isn’t on the list? Please tell us!
- Menu of promotional items. We have a selection of items that we could provide for your next activity!
- Promotional items order form. Let us know what you need!
Please feel free to share information about this exciting new initiative and join by completing the sign up form. Please send your completed forms to Augustine Doe, Health Equity Specialist, at augustine.doe@vdh.virginia.gov or call 804-864-7463.
Quick Links
VA BP Ministry Event Planning Guide
VA Congregations for Million Hearts Fact Sheet
VA Congregations for Million Hearts Sign-Up Sheet
Current Virginia’s Congregations for Million Hearts Participants
VA Congregations for Million Hearts QR Code
Activity Tracking Form (missing)
Survey for Faith-Based Organizations
VA Congregations for Million Hearts Booklet
Million Hearts Promotional Items Menu
Congregations for Million Hearts® is a faith-based program designed to help guide congregations toward a heart-healthy lifestyle. The purpose of Congregations for Million Hearts® is to enlist the support of faith-based organizations to help raise awareness and prevent cardiovascular disease and focus on hypertension control. In joining the program, your congregation will work towards reducing the impact of two of the leading causes of death in the United States: heart disease and stroke.
Why should we join?
- Heart disease and stroke are the first and fourth leading causes of death in the United States.
- Heart disease is responsible for 1 of every 4 deaths in the country.
- It has been proven that engaging communities to work together using education and support can affect change in the number of deaths caused by heart disease and stroke.
What is the goal?
Virginia’s original goal was to recruit 100 faith-based organizations into the national Million Hearts® initiative by the end of 2015. Virginia enlisted its 100th congregation into the initiative on July 2, 2015 – nearly six months ahead of schedule! The national campaign’s overall goal is to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes by 2017.
How do we join?
Joining is easy, and the benefits of signing up could mean the difference of life and death for members of your congregation. First, you will need to select a member of your congregation as your Million Hearts® advocate. This individual will act as a resource for heart health information.
Also, congregations are being asked to do at least 2 of the 4 activities listed below:
- Establish and/or strengthen relationships with local experts and resources (community pharmacists, community health centers and community health workers).
- Disseminate messages about the importance of and action steps to hypertension control.
- Promote Heart Health Mobile (an app that helps to determine and reduce heart attack and stroke risk).
- Distribute blood pressure tracking wallet cards.
Ready to get started?
Complete the Million Hearts® Sign Up Form available on our website at: https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/OMHHEand send it via e-mail to Augustine Doe, Health Equity Specialist at the Virginia Department of Health, Office of Minority Health and Health Equity, at Augustine.doe@vdh.virginia.gov or fax to 804-864-7440. For more information, call 804-864-7436.
Ask Our Director:
OMHHE Director, Dr. Adrienne McFadden Sheds Light on Virginia’s Congregations for Million Hearts Initiative
Q: What is Virginia’s Congregations for Million Hearts Initiative?
Dr. McFadden: Virginia’s Congregation for Million Hearts Initiative is the faith-focused aspect of the national Million Hearts initiative, a program aimed at combating cardiovascular disease with a goal of preventing 1 million heart attacks and strokes by 2017. Virginia’s Congregations for Million Hearts targets one of the largest and most influential groups in our communities to help accomplish this ambitious mission: our faith-based congregations. The purpose of the initiative is to enlist congregations to become champions of change in their communities, providing prevention education, resources and support to their members.
Q: Can any faith-based congregation in Virginia join the initiative?
Dr. McFadden: Yes! Any faith-based congregation in Virginia is welcome and encouraged to participate.
Q: What activities are part of the initiative?
Dr. McFadden: The program is designed to be easily implemented by any faith-based congregation. Joining congregations simply select a member to be their “Million Hearts Advocate” and go-to person on heart health information. The Million Hearts Advocate does not have to be a health professional but serves as a key contact to share information on resources and activities of the initiative.
Participating congregations then select at least two of the four activities to complete:
- Establish and/or strengthen relationships with local experts and resources.
- Disseminate messages about the importance of and action steps to hypertension control.
- Promote Heart Health Mobile (an app that helps determine and reduce heart attack and stroke risk).
- Distribute blood pressure tracking wallet cards.
- Invent another way to promote heart health among congregational members.
Q: Are resources provided to participating congregations?
Dr. McFadden: Yes, OMHHE and our partners will provide congregations who sign up for the initiative with a number of “Bless Your Heart” prevention toolkits and Million Hearts blood pressure cards.
Medical Reserve Corps volunteers and ECPI Medical Careers Institute students are also available as a professional resource for congregations in organizing volunteers for events related to the initiative, including such events as blood pressure checks, health education seminars, and community relation building sessions.
The national Million Hearts campaign also provides a multitude of resources and tools helpful to participating congregations on their website, including a Blood Pressure Calculator, Heart Attack Risk Calculator and Interactive Atlas of Heart Disease and Stroke. These resources and more can be found at:http://millionhearts.hhs.gov/resources.html.
Q: What is the #MillionHeartsChallenge?
Dr. McFadden: As part of our initiative launch, we are inviting Virginians to challenge each other to get their congregation involved in the first step towards healthier hearts. Individuals, communities, organizations and congregations can use the #MillionHeartsChallenge on social media to challenge others to bring heart disease and stroke – two leading causes of death in the United States – to the forefront of their congregation. OMHHE will feature all activities of participating congregations on our website, social media, e-newsletter and blog, and special awards and recognition will be given to the health districts and Medical Reserve Corps members with the most participating congregations. The first 10 Houses of Faith to register will have the opportunity to have their congregational materials customized as well. It pays to sign up soon!
Q: How can a congregation join?
Dr. McFadden: To join, congregations simply need to complete the Million Hearts Sign Up Form available on our web page at https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/OMHHE/VA100congregations.htm and send it to Augustine Doe, Health Equity Specialist at Augustine.doe@vdh.virginia.gov or fax to (804) 864-7440. Together, let’s make Virginia hearts healthy and strong!