The Virginia Health Opportunity Index (HOI) Has Moved

The Virginia Health Opportunity Index has a new look and a new location.

Visit the redesigned Virginia Health Opportunity Index (HOI):

www.vdh.virginia.gov/omhhe/hoi

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact:

Justin Crow, Social Epidemiology & Shortage Designations Manager,

or Joanne Winburne, Communications Specialist.

Requests for Virginia HOI data must be sent via the Virginia HOI contact form.

The Updated Virginia Health Opportunity Index is HERE!

The Virginia Department of Health - Office of Minority Health and Health Equity (VDH-OMHHE) is excited to announce the public launch of the second iteration of the Virginia Health Opportunity Index (HOI).

Click here for the Virginia HOI site! 

The first HOI was detailed in the 2012 Virginia Health Equity Report. For this update, VDH-OMHHE has created interactive and user-friendly visualizations that help identify areas and populations of Virginia that are most vulnerable to adverse health outcomes based on social determinants of health. 

We are extremely proud of the site, and we hope you find it engaging and informative.  Please check the site often for blog updates that highlight different facets of the Virginia HOI, how it may be used, and general public health topics.

Let's work to add further discussions about health into policy.  With tools like the Virginia HOI, residents can learn how their communities are doing in terms of health and start asking why.

No one deserves to be underserved.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Justin Crow, Social Epidemiology & Shortage Designations Manager, or Joanne Winburne, Communications Specialist.

For VDH employees, the data on the Virginia HOI can also be seen on the Community Health Assessment dashboards, which will be available soon.  Requests for Virginia HOI data must be sent via the Virginia HOI contact form.



The Counties dashboard gives a visual of how Virginia's counties rank within the HOI.



Rural Health Champion

November 19, 2015 is National Rural Health Day!

 

• Is someone you know a rural health champion?
• Do you know someone doing exceptional work in rural Virginia and advancing rural health?
• Do you have a friend/family member/colleague who you feel should be recognized for contributions to rural health?  

The Virginia State Office of Rural Health wants to hear from you!

 

We are looking for nominations for rural health champions in Virginia. 

Click here for more information about how to nominate a rural health champion in your community!

Virginia's Congregations for Million Hearts on Facebook

Are you following Virginia's Congregations for Million Hearts on Facebook?

Like us to receive up-to-date information about the program and connect with other Virginia congregations!  You can also see photos of the heart healthy events hosted by the congregations who are members of the initiative!
http://www.facebook.com/VACongregations

It's all about Salud (Health)!

 

It's all about Salud (Health) - How to work effectively with Spanish speakers

 

Two-Part Webinar
Part 1:  Wednesday, August 12 - 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Part 2:  Friday, August 14 - 11:00 am - 1:00 pm

 

Have you ever...

• Felt limited in your ability to effectively communicate with the Spanish-speaking population because you don't understand the language or culture?
• Wanted to know "what works" to better educate and engage Hispanics in prevention and care programs?
• Needed to have a better understanding about the Spanish-speaking population in order to do your job?

Come join us for a webinar designed to help!

 

Guest Instructors:

Dr. Dirk G. Schroeder, Executive VP/Chief Health Officer, HolaDoctor.com

Gloria Giraldo, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Latino Health Access

Click here for the flyer!
 

Recognition for Virginia Flex Program

The Federal Office of Rural Health Policy awarded the Virginia Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Grant (Flex) Program with a Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Program (MBQIP) Certificate of Excellence on June 23, 2015, during the "Pathways to Value: 2015 Flex Program Reverse Site Visit" in Bethesda, Md.

 

The award “recognizes the dedication to provide quality care on MBQIP inpatient measures demonstrated in 2014” by Virginia Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs).  “Pathways to Value” was a two-day long event that served as an opportunity for state Flex Program grantees to convene and share information about providing assistance to CAHs as they become top performers in the new value-based reimbursement system.

 

The Virginia Flex Program is in the Virginia State Office of Rural Health in the Office of Minority Health and Health Equity.

You're invited to

Food Deserts: Virginia Challenges and Solutions

Please join the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), Office of Minority Health and Health Equity (OMHHE) for a viewing and discussion of Living In A Food Desert, a documentary describing Virginia's food access problem, how it impacts residents in three parts of the state, and the initiatives in place that address local needs for healthy, affordable food. 

Produced by Virginia State University in collaboration with Virginia Tech, this film will inspire you with its examples of dedicated Virginians creating real solutions to food access.

Following the film, there will be an opportunity for attendees to share successful strategies implemented in Virginia and learn from Melanie Deel about Lenowisco Health District initiatives and John Lewis about the Renew Richmond program.

When

Friday, April 24, 2015 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Where

VDH, Madison Building,  Mezzanine Conference Room 109 Governor Street Richmond, VA 23219 To submit a Polycom site request, please contact Rich Watson at richard.watson@vdh.virginia.gov or  (804) 864 - 7179 Register on TRAIN VA using the Course ID: 1056511.  For more information, please contact Augustine Doe, OMHHE Health Equity Specialist at augustine.doe@vdh.virginia.gov or 804-864-7436.

First 10, Winning Congregations Announced for Virginia's #MillionHeartsChallenge

On November 24, 2014, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) Office of Minority Health and Health Equity (OMHHE) launched Virginia’s 100 Congregations for Million Hearts initiative with the #MillionHeartsChallenge, a social media call to action for Virginia’s faith-based organizations to commit to increasing the heart health of their members. Over the next year, OMHHE plans to sign up over 100 congregations around the state with the goal to improve heart health among members!

To jump start the initiative, OMHHE offered the first 10 faith-based organizations that joined free customized resources, including 100 blood pressure tracking cards and heart health toolkit packages. OMHHE congratulates the first 10, winning faith-based organizations: 

• St. Paul Reform Zion Union Apostolic Church – Suffolk, VA
• Herald of His Coming Church – Norfolk, VA
• Beraen Community Church – Norfolk, VA
• Living Waters Christian Fellowship – Newport News, VA
• Cathedral of Faith – Chesapeake, VA
• Garden of Hope, Inc. Community Development Corp. – Norfolk, VA
• New Light Full Gospel Baptist Church – Virginia Beach, VA
• Tabernacle of Praise Ministries International – Richmond, VA
• Islamic Center of Virginia – North Chesterfield, VA
• Ebenezer Baptist Church – Newport News, VA

To date approximately 15 faith-based organizations have joined the Virginia’s 100 Congregations initiative. To bring your faith-based organization on board, complete the sign up form available at: http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/omhhe/VA100congregations.htm and return to Augustine Doe at augustine.doe@vdh.virginia or call (804) 864-7436 for more information. OMHHE and its collaborative partners will continue to offer assistance to joining faith-based organizations in planning and implementing activities related to this initiative.