The West Piedmont Health District (WPHD) is among 14 local health departments across the nation, and the only one in Virginia, to be recognized for a Model Practice, by the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO).
Model Practices are programs demonstrating exemplary and replicable qualities in response to a critical local public health need. WPHD’s initiative, Community Health Workers as Data Collectors Provides Equity in Rural Virginia, garnered the award during the NACCHO annual conference in Detroit on July 25.
Community health workers collected data throughout the health district (City of Martinsville and the counties of Henry, Franklin, and Patrick) by conducting surveys and using tablets to record responses. Because they are trusted members of the communities they serve, community health workers provide important health and wellness outreach. The information they collected was vital for broad and equitable representation in the content of the Martinsville Henry County Community Health Equity Assessment in 2023.
Winning projects are determined through a competitive, peer-reviewed process and will be added to NACCHO’s Model Practice searchable online database where other local health departments can review these best practices and adopt them for use in their community.
“This award would not have been possible without the continued partnerships West Piedmont Health District has with its community partners, including FQHCs (Federally Qualified Health Centers), nonprofits and state-local government,” said Pamela Chitwood, Health Equity SpecialistPopulation Health Community Coordinator at WPHD. “This year’s awardees have demonstrated exceptional service in developing programs to address substance use, health inequities, infant and child health, health literacy, immunization, foodborne illnesses, hepatitis, and other pressing health challenges in their regions. This recognition is sure to inspire continued excellence and progress in public health practices across the country,” said Lori Tremmel Freeman, NACCHO CEO.
