Programs
Abstinence Education Initiative:
The mission of this initiative is to create more positive attitudes in adolescents toward delaying sexual involvement and remaining sexually abstinent until marriage. The goals are to reduce teen sexual activity and encourage parents to promote the abstinence until marriage message with their children. Several strategies are used to accomplish thise goals- abstinence education program, a statewide media campaign, and educational material distribution.
Adolescent Health:
The goal of the program is to promote the health and well being of adolescents.
Child Development Services (CDC) Program:
The program seeks to assure the availability and accessibility of comprehensive development services to children and adolescents through a network of eleven child development clinics.
Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention:
The goal of the program is to eradicate this condition among children aged six months to five years in Virginia. Technical assistance is provided statewide in the areas of medical and environmental assessments, provider training, public education and coalition building, with high-risk communities receiving grant funds.
Children with Special Health Care Needs Program:
The goal of the program is to promote the optimal health and development of Virginia's children with special health care needs by working in partnership with families/ service providers, and communities. The program provides care coordination through six centers of excellence known as Care Connection for Children.
Genetics:
The Virginia Genetics Program is part of a statewide system to reduce unnecessary morbidity from potential or existing genetic conditions by assuring access to the appropriate education, testing, counseling, and treatment for residents of the Commonwealth. Program components include Virginia Newborn Screening Services, Metabolic Treatment Services/PKU Management, Virginia Congenital Anomalies Reporting and Education System (birth defects registry), Regional Genetic Centers, and Virginia Genetics Advisory Committee.
Healthy Child Care Virginia:
The goal of the program is promote to the healthy development of all children in child care, including those with special health needs, and increase access to preventive health services and safe physical environments for children.
Early Hearing Detection and Intervention:
The goal of the Virginia Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program is to identify of congenital hearing loss in children by three months of age and to assure enrollment in appropriate intervention by six months of age.
Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA):
Part C is a statewide, interagency system of services to ensure that eligible infants and toddlers with disabilities, ages zero to three, and their families receive appropriate early intervention services. Virginia Department of Health staff participates on the Part C Early Intervention Agencies Committee, the Early Intervention Interagency Management Team, and the Virginia Interagency Coordinating Council.
Pediatric Screening and Genetics Services:
Pediatric Screening and Genetics Services works to improve the health of children and families by preventing birth defects and developmental disabilities, promoting optimal child development, and promoting health and wellness among children and adolescents living with disabilities. It is composed of the following programs and special projects: Virginia Genetics Program, Virginia Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program, Virginia Infant Screening and Infant Tracking System, and Virginia Congenital Anomalies Tracking and Prevention Improvement Project.
School Health:
The goal of the School Health Program is to initiate, influence, and support activities that improve the health of school-age children and youth in the Commonwealth. The state school health nurse consultant, in collaboration with the Department of Education, assists localities in establishing and enhancing school health programs.
Teen Pregnancy Prevention:
This program supports seven localities in efforts to prevent teenage pregnancy and to promote healthy adolescent behaviors.
Contact Joanne S. Boise, M.S.P.H., Director
James Madison Building
109 Governer st., 8th floor, Richmond, VA 23219
Phone (804) 864-7685
Fax (804) 864-7722
