{"id":1202,"date":"2022-01-11T12:33:26","date_gmt":"2022-01-11T12:33:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/commissioner\/?page_id=1202"},"modified":"2026-03-24T13:35:42","modified_gmt":"2026-03-24T13:35:42","slug":"who-we-are","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/commissioner\/","title":{"rendered":"Who We Are"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is dedicated to protecting and promoting the health of Virginians. VDH is made up of a statewide Central Office in Richmond and 35 local health districts. These entities work together to promote healthy lifestyle choices that can combat chronic disease, educate the public about emergency preparedness and threats to their health, and track disease outbreaks in Virginia.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Accreditation <\/h3>\n
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Public health has a long history in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and now that legacy has been recognized at the national level with accreditation of the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) in May 2023 by the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB)<\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Accreditation by the PHAB <\/span>is a significant achievement. The national accreditation program is jointly supported by the <\/span>Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/span><\/a> and the <\/span>Robert Wood Johnson Foundation<\/span><\/a>. The accreditation process is built on a set of rigorous standards against which the nation\u2019s more than 3,000 governmental public health departments can measure the quality of their services and performance.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Accreditation works to improve and protect the health of the public by advancing and ultimately transforming the quality and performance of the nation\u2019s state, local, tribal and territorial public health departments. To receive accreditation, VDH demonstrated that it meets or exceeds a set of national quality standards and measures through a rigorous, multi-faceted, peer-reviewed assessment process. Accreditation has advanced quality and performance within the agency, laying the foundation for improved protection, promotion, and preservation of community health. <\/span><\/p>\n

Visit <\/span>PHAB<\/span><\/a> to learn more.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Agency Size<\/h3>\t\t\t
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~3,300<\/p>\n

Staff<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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35<\/p>\n

Local Health Districts<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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119<\/p>\n

Local Health Departments<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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The VDH is led by the State Health Commissioner, appointed by the Governor of Virginia. The Commissioner oversees the direction of the agency and provides feedback to the Governor through the Secretary of Health and Human Resources. The Commissioner works alongside numerous Deputy Commissioners and other key figures on the leadership team in heading the VDH in its efforts to navigate the complex health landscape and to promote the well-being of all people in Virginia.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Offices<\/h3>\t\t\t
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To learn more about the offices of the VDH and their deputies please follow the links below:<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>

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