Last Chance - Register Today for Thursday's Tooth Talk Roundtable!

Please join us on October 26^th from 10 am – 12 pm for the next virtual ToothTalk roundtable. We are excited to feature a special presentation from D4 Practice Solutions on re-establishing sustainability and strong practice operations after the many changes brought by the past few years. You won’t want to miss it!

You’ll also learn about:

• Recruitment strategies and lessons learned,
• Legislative updates and priorities,
• Medicaid network and utilization updates,
• Tips for credentialing new dentists with DentaQuest, and
• Some previews of coming attractions.

Register today!

Opening Soon: Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace!

Starting on November 1, Virginians shopping for a 2024 Marketplace health plan will no longer buy that plan through Healthcare.gov the way they have for the past 9 years. This is because Virginia has become the most recent state to launch its very own Marketplace!

Open enrollment is from November 1, 2023 – January 15, 2024.

Here are some things that will be different on Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace:

1.    NEW website! Instead of applying for a Marketplace plan through www.healthcare.gov, Virginians will now go to marketplace.virginia.gov.

2.    NEW call center! Instead of using the federal Marketplace call center (1-800-318-2596) to speak to a representative who can help complete an application and/or select a plan, Virginians will now call 888-687-1501.

3.    NEW look and feel! Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace will launch its marketing campaign this month. You may have already seen Facebook, Google, and/or YouTube ads promoting it! Click here for a complete branding kit and/or a speaker to share key information with your organization.

4.    NEW decision support will be available, to help those shopping on the Marketplace pick the plan that is best for them. Thanks to new federal guidelines, Virginians will have sufficient plan options to pick from, but not so many that they will feel overwhelmed.

To introduce the new marketplace to your staff and patients, review the one-pager introduction, the FAQs, and Community Partner talking points.

Don’t miss your chance to apply for the Behavioral Health Student Loan Repayment Program!



The Virginia Behavioral Health Student Loan Repayment Program can help you recruit and retain behavioral health professionals to practice in underserved areas of the Commonwealth and/or provide counseling and treatment to underserved populations. The program repays a portion of an eligible BH professional’s student loan debt. In return, recipients commit to practicing in Virginia for a minimum of two years at an eligible site. The amount available has grown to $3.1 million thanks to recent action by the Governor. This year’s application cycle opened on October 1. Applications will be accepted until April 15, 2024. Read more about eligibility criteria and how to apply here. 

New Wellbeing Resources and Support Available for Health Safety Net Clinicians and Support Staff



VHCF has partnered with the Virginia Community Healthcare Association (VCHA), the Virginia Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (VAFCC), and the Medical Society of Virginia (MSV) to make MSV’s Safe Haven program available to full-time clinicians and other eligible staff at Virginia’s community health centers and free and hybrid clinics. The program offers a variety of support to enhance the well-being of staff – professional, parenting, coaching, confidential counseling, a WorkLife app full of tailored resources. Information about how to participate will soon be available from VCHA and VAFCC. Stay tuned.

•  Nuevos recursos de salud mental en español disponibles ahora! – Mental Health America has released three new resources to enhance mental health support for Spanish-speaking communities. Download the 2023 BIPOC Mental Health Toolkit (in English and Spanish) and the 2023 Back to School Resources (in English and Spanish) today, or visit the new Spanish-language resources hub for a comprehensive collection of mental health materials to assist Spanish-speaking individuals, families, and others in accessing valuable mental health information. 

• The link between mental health and oral health-  Earlier this year, the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health released a visual report and resources exploring the growing body of research on the strong links between mental health and oral health.

•  VHCF is putting the bounce back! Read our annual report to learn more about how VHCF is helping Virginians obtain behavioral health services and other care they need. 

• Behavioral Health Updates from the 2023 GA Session and 2023 Special Session- Behavioral health was a priority in both Houses and on both sides of the aisle throughout the 2023 General Assembly Session and during the 2023 Special Session. The Session resulted in adjustments to regulations and for the public mental health system, new and expanded services for Virginians with behavioral health conditions, substance use disorder, and those with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Additionally, the Administration’s Right Help, Right Now transformation work is well-underway and will likely result in more behavioral health legislation and budget amendments in the 2024 General Assembly Session. Click here for a list of passed BH-related bills and budget amendments and slides with the highlights from that list.  

Don't Forget About the Professional Development Funds Available to You

Greater Richmond SCAN recently utilized VHCF’s Professional Development Funds to support a behavioral health clinician’s continuing education in providing bilingual play therapy. Are you (or a staff member) going to engage in learning opportunities? Read about VHCF’s professional development funding here.

Is it time for you to update or create a new strategic plan? VHCF provides up to $3,500 to underwrite the development of a new strategic plan. 

Contact Andrea Lancaster or Alan Nicholas to learn more about VHCF’s Professional Development and Strategic Plan funding.

• The next virtual Tooth Talk roundtable is scheduled for 10 am - 12 pm on October 26. Register today!

• Sign Up Now offers two live online trainings. SignUpNow 1 covers the “ins and outs” of eligibility requirements, application procedures, and post-enrollment information for Virginia’s Medicaid/FAMIS programs for children, adults, and families. SignUpNow 2 covers information for Virginia’s Aged, Blind, or Disabled (ABD) Medicaid-covered groups. Learn more about both trainings and upcoming dates here.

• Upcoming virtual trainings on how to use The Pharmacy Connection (TPC) for beginners and for advanced users have been scheduled through December. For training dates, registration, or more information click here.

Does your organization have innovative programs or creative solutions to share?

We'd love to hear from you so we can help share it with others. Please contact Andrea Lancaster or Alan Nicholas with your stories!