THE OFFICE OF HEALTH EQUITY NEWSLETTER
May 2018
OHE Celebrates National Minority Health Month
In April, the Office of Health Equity (OHE) sponsored screenings of the  Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,  an HBO film based on the book written by Rebecca Skloot . The event wrapped with a panel discussion on the final day of movie showings. OHE proudly welcomed the Henrietta Lacks Legacy Group to its panel discussion in celebration of Minority Health Month.
 
Panelists for the program included:  Dr. Lauren Powell , director of the Office of Health Equity,  Mr. Matt Leonard , executive director of the Halifax County Industrial Authority,  Dr. Norman Oliver , acting VDH commissioner,  Dr. Adele Newson-Horst , vice-president of Henrietta Lacks Legacy Group and Henrietta Lacks' grandchildren:  Mr. David Lacks ,  Jr.  and  Ms. Jeri Lacks-Whye.
 
Governor Northam  recently signed the Henrietta Lacks Commission into law to commemorate and honor the contributions of Henrietta Lacks to biomedical science. The OHE will provide direct support to this landmark Commission. Minority Health Month presented a timely opportunity to lead VDH in learning more about the often overlooked and historically under-recognized Henrietta Lacks.
New Updates to the Social Determinants of Health Dashboard
The Division of Social Epidemiology has updated the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) dashboard, available on the VDH Data Portal , with data for 2015 and 2016. The SDOH dashboard is an easy to use tool allowing stakeholders to monitor trends in SDOH status.
 
The dashboard draws publicly available data from numerous sources, including the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, US Census Bureau, Virginia Department of Education, Virginia Department of Elections, and the Virginia State Police. Users can download locality-level maps, historical trend data, state-level comparisons, and tables as images for reports or presentations. Users may also embed the dashboard directly into websites.

The SDOH dashboard includes 16 different SDOH indicators, covering years 2010 to 2016, at the locality (county and independent city) and local health district levels. The 16 indicators are:

  • Educational Spending per Student
  • Per Capita Income
  • Per Capita Income Maintenance Benefits
  • Per Job Income
  • Children in Poverty
  • Population in Poverty
  • Unemployment Rate
  • Uninsured Children
  • Uninsured Population
  • Voter Turnout
  • Cost Burdened Households
  • Home Ownership Rate
  • Working Age Population
  • Working Age Population without a High School Diploma
  • Working Age Population with a Bachelor Degree
  • Limited English Proficient Population

Please contact Kira Walker or Justin Crow for more information.
OHE Provides Outreach at Youth Health Summit
The Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority (VHWDA) invited the Office of Health Equity (OHE) to its annual Youth Health Summit to engage area young people interested in health careers on April 16 at the Washington Redskins training facility on the Northside of Richmond.

The event brought more than 300 high school and middle school students from Richmond Public Schools.

Olivette Burroughs, Heather Anderson, and Rakeem Mosey were in attendance on behalf of OHE. They spent time talking to the students about the variety of health care professions they could aspire to after high school. In addition to providing some career guidance and information, the team highlighted its scholarships and incentive programs.
OHE EXTERN SPOTLIGHT: AMBER NULL
Background:
Amber was born and raised in Goochland. When she graduated from high school in 2005, she took a few college classes at Virginia Wesleyan, but wanted more adventure in life. In 2007, that's when she joined the US Navy as a builder with the Seabee’s. I was stationed in Norfolk, VA and Port Hueneme, CA.

She deployed to Afghanistan, Africa, and Japan. While away, her family started to grow fast. When her second enlistment ended in 2016, she returned home and finished what she started; her education. She's now only one class away from graduating with a bachelor's degree in Health Science with a focus on Healthcare Administration at ECPI University. She's interested in a career in emergency management, while creating community resiliency.        

Education: 
ECPI University, Summer 2018, Goochland High School, 2005   

Goals:
After graduation, Amber plans to move to Maryland and pursue a career in emergency management, where she will be able to build stronger, healthier communities.

Quote: 
“A ship in port is safe, but that’s not what ships are built for.” – Rear Admiral “Amazing” Grace Hopper, USN
Virginia Nursing Scholarship Program
Application Cycle NOW OPEN!
Virginia offers several scholarship opportunities to help pay for nursing education in exchange for service in Virginia upon graduation. Scholarships are available for individuals seeking degrees as Licensed Practical Nurses, Registered Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Educators.

Applications will be accepted beginning  May 1, 2018 , and must be postmarked by June 30, 2018. If you have any questions related to the Virginia Nursing Scholarship Programs, please contact us by calling (804) 864-7435 or by emailing  olivette.burroughs@vdh.virginia.gov . 

To send inquiries/information by fax please send to (804) 864-7440.
2018 NHSC Scholarship Program
National Health Service Corps Scholarship (NHSC)
Application Resources

Applications will be accepted through Thursday, May 10, 7:30 pm. ET

For the full applicant's guide, including eligibility, visit: NHSC Guide
Upcoming Events to Watch
Using the Health Center Dental Dashboard for Tracking, Measuring and Improvement

Hosted by The National Network for Oral Health Access, a HRSA-funded NCA
Thursday, May 3
3:00-4:00 p.m. ET
Register here  (1 CDE)
Development of Community Partnerships – Key Components of Integrated Behavioral Health Care Roundtable Discussion
for Health Centers in Regions 2, 3, and 6

Hosted by the SAMHSA-HRSA Center for Integrated Health Solutions
Wednesday, May 9
3:00-4:00 p.m. ET