Office of Health Equity, Virginia Department of Health

Vision

Health equity for all Virginians

Mission

Our mission is to identify health inequities and their root causes and promote equitable opportunities to be healthy.

Office priority areas:

1. Analyze data to characterize inequities in health and healthcare, their geographic distribution (e.g. neighborhood, rural, inner city), and their association with social determinants of health; and identify high priority target areas.
2. Promote equitable access to quality health care and providers.
3. Empower communities to promote health equity.
4. Influence health, healthcare, and public policy in order to promote health equity (“health equity in all policies”).
5. Enhance the capacity of public health and our partners to promote health equity.

Practical Vision

OHE seeks to achieve its vision by addressing those social and economic policies and practices that create barriers to health. In this, OHE will be a policy change agent, recognized proven leader, effective proactive partner and responsive comprehensive resource. OHE will work to increase and sustain funding, foster community empowerment, utilize accurate data, and educate and communicate effectively with various stakeholders.

Shared Values

Shared core values assist OHE in effectively achieving our vision, mission and practical vision. These values guide our decisions, mold our practices and direct our activities.

Respect: The recognition of worth, quality and importance. In this, we:

• Respect and appreciate the contribution and creativity of each staff member, partner and future partner.
• Respect and encourage the differences of opinion, collaboration of ideas and leveraging of resources.

Integrity: A firm commitment to a standard of moral principles. In this, we:

• Aspire to conduct business in a truthful, honest, timely, equitable and dependable manner.
• Aspire to demonstrate character, class and leadership in our conduct of business.

Excellence: To surpass mediocrity. In this, we:

• Continue to create and encourage a culture of on-going learning, forward-thinking, professional advancement and development.
• Embrace an attitude of commitment, willingness and passion to make a positive difference in the well-being of Virginia’s citizenry.
• Desire to maintain open, effective and constant communication, collaboration, teamwork and community involvement.