Posts by Anderson Hayes
2023 Virginia General Session Wrap-Up
Virginia’s General Assembly session ended on February 25. However, lawmakers are still negotiating updates to the state budget. The budget is crucial because it funds the agencies and programs that…
Read MorePushing Boundaries to Eliminate Disparities: A Black History Month Reflection on Oral Health Champions
Racism drives health inequities and is a public health emergency. Ongoing systemic racism and unequal impacts of the pandemic contribute to many health and health care disparities that adversely impact…
Read MoreH2Outlook Virginia: The Path to Advancing Drinking Water Equity
Drinking water is essential for life, but reliable access to safe, affordable drinking water isn’t a guarantee. More and more, we hear stories about the past and present water crises:…
Read MoreCatalyst Policy Priorities: 2023 Legislative Session
Policies influence our health. Ensuring that policies at the local, state, and federal levels support comprehensive health care access for all Virginians is integral to Catalyst’s mission. Catalyst engages with…
Read MoreBridging the Gap Between Patient Experience and Provider Assumptions
A new Impact Story describes a collaborative project that identified a disconnect between patients’ experiences and providers’ assumptions about barriers to dental care, as well as examples of the impact…
Read MoreDental Assistant IIs Build Capacity and Pathways to Care
Two issues consistently rise to the top related to the dental workforce in Virginia: The significant waiting lists of new patients at dental clinics because of provider capacity limitations; and…
Read MoreOral Health Equity Cannot Be Achieved Without Racial Equity
Barriers to achieving good oral and overall health do not stop with access to care. Systemic racism exists within healthcare, is linked to several social determinants of health, and contributes…
Read MoreSchool-Based Health Services in Virginia and the COVID-19 Pandemic
School-based health programs provide health services, like oral health, to students in schools. Schools were closed and students learned virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic, disrupting school-based health programs and impacting…
Read MoreA Case Study of a Community Health Worker Program Located in Low-Income Housing in Richmond, VA
Community Health Workers (CHWs) are public health workers with unique understanding of the experience, language, and culture of the populations they serve to promote healthy living and to help people…
Read MoreOral Health Knowledge, Barriers to Dental Care, and Awareness of a Medicaid Pregnancy Dental Coverage Among Reproductive-Age Women
In this study of women at an urban health center in Virginia, pregnant women in Virginia covered through Medicaid were less likely to be aware of and use their dental…
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