PETERSBURG, Va. — Virginia Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Cameron Webb is 40 days into a statewide listening tour, visiting Petersburg on Thursday to meet with community health stakeholders focused on improving health outcomes for the state's most vulnerable populations.
Webb's latest stop brought him to the Bon Secours Healthy Living Center, where stakeholders from across Central Virginia gathered to identify barriers that negatively affect health outcomes.
"From a public health perspective, people just want to be able to trust the institutions that are built to serve them," Webb said.
Eddie Oliver, executive director of the Federation of Virginia Food Banks, was among those at the meeting.
"There's growing recognition of the role that food plays in health care outcomes. Everyone knows that the better you eat, the better your health is going to be. Lots of folks have had those conversations with their doctors," Oliver said.
Donny Pascal, Unite Us Coordinator for Hampton and Peninsula Health Districts, described the range of services his organization works to connect people with.
"We try to get people connected to mental health, housing, rental assistance utilities," Pascal said.
Demetrius Hill, a Project SAFE Life Coach, outlined the kinds of support his organization provides.
"Educational opportunities, employment opportunities, and housing. Help with the basic needs. The smallest things are what we can help people with," Hill said.
Webb said specifics on policy are still in the planning stages, but he is inviting those who attended Thursday's meeting to provide input on what they would like to see.
"The first thing is really connecting with the local health district and make sure we're meeting their needs and addressing their concerns. I think that they've really built out a great community health assessment that speaks to a lot of the challenges and our tasks collectively across the Commonwealth in making sure that we're looking at what those needs are and finding the resources to support them," Webb said.
According to 2024 data from the VDH, the Richmond Health District, Chesterfield Health District, and Crater Health District — which comprises areas like Prince George, Hopewell, and Petersburg — experienced some of the highest rates of hospitalizations for high blood cholesterol, diabetes, and hypertension when compared to health districts in Loudoun, Fairfax, and Prince William counties.
Webb said his top priorities are making sure the health department is running efficiently and transparently and leveling the playing field for access to health care statewide.
"Making sure that everyone has the opportunity to be healthy. That's that health equity notion and idea. Make sure that we're seeing all communities and supporting all communities in the health work, using data to drive that work forward, leveraging the amazing public health workforce that we have and getting more tools there as well," Webb said.
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