H2Outlook 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: from Jackson, MS, or Flint, MI, to the troubling drought in the American West, it’s clear our water systems are in trouble. Without adequate infrastructure,…

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Catalyst 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 partners across the commonwealth to advocate for health policies that advance equity and center the voices and experiences of the communities who are directly impacted.…

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Bridging 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 of racism in health care. Patients described a public oral health system that didn’t meet their needs, citing the following as barriers to care: Cost…

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School-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 the care children received. This study surveyed public elementary schools in Virginia to understand the impact the pandemic had on school-based health programs and what…

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A 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 take greater control over their health and lives. They are trained to work in a variety of community settings to provide culturally appropriate health education,…

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