Sound public health policy requires expert public health analysis.  Our issue briefs help policymakers and the public better understand public health issues facing Virginia and to craft policies that address them. 

Let Public Health Professionals Do Their Jobs: An Update

Last year,  the Virginia Public Health Association published an issue brief, "Let Public Health Professionals Do Their Jobs." The issue brief highlighted the lifesaving work Virginia's public health professionals do and argued that extreme bills that unnecessarily tie their hands put us all at risk.

This updated issue brief highlights some of the extreme policies other states have passed and stresses why these policies must not come to Virginia. Most of all, it serves as a reminder of all the important work public health professionals do every day to keep us safe and healthy.

Read the report here.

Let Public Health Professionals Do Their Jobs

Everyone has the right to be safe and healthy. Public health professionals work every day to defend this right. Like firefighters and police officers, public health professionals respond to threats that can sicken, injure, and kill. They save lives every day.

Unfortunately, public health is under threat. VPHA's latest issue brief, "Let Public Health Professionals Do Their Jobs," highlights the lifesaving work Virginia's public health professionals do and argues that extreme bills that unnecessarily tie their hands put us all at risk.

Read the report here.

Key Public Health Takeaways from Virginia's New Budget

Virginia's new biennial budget went into effect on July 1, 2022. The budget includes significant public health investments, which is something to celebrate. However, these investments are largely funded by one-time federal COVID-19 relief dollars. This progress will be short-lived unless Virginia policymakers sustain these investments with state dollars.

Read the report here.

Virginia's Public Health Landscape: A Call To Action

Virginia has the potential to be the healthiest state in the nation, but it has a long way to go. Recent health policy debates at the federal and state levels have focused on access to clinical care. Access to quality, affordable health care is necessary but insufficient. It is social, economic, and environmental factors that have the largest effect on wellbeing. Shifting the debate upstream to focus on Virginia's public health system is essential for addressing these factors.

This report reviews the history of Virginia's public health system, identifies current issues, and looks to the future. Its conclusion is simple: Strengthening Virginia's public health system is necessary to improve health and erase health disparities.

Read the report here.