Highlights
VDH Launches Statewide CBERS Tabletop Exercise Series
The Virginia Department of Health’s (VDH) Office of Preparedness (OEP) launched its 2026 Community-Based Emergency Response Series (CBERS) program. CBERS is a statewide tabletop exercise series designed to strengthen Virginia’s readiness for large-scale emergencies. The first session kicked off last week, bringing together partners from emergency management, public health, public safety, healthcare, social services, behavioral health, and public information. In today’s complex emergency landscape, major incidents often require…Read more
National Minority Health Month is a time to raise awareness about health disparities and about how we promote health equity at VDH. Minority health refers to populations that have been historically underserved, underrepresented or face barriers to achieving optimal health due to social and economic drivers of health, or environmental factors including lack of access to safe environments. This includes racial and ethnic minority groups, as well as communities defined by culture, language, disability,…Read more
23rd Annual Emergency Preparedness Summit - Day 2
The 23rd Annual Emergency Preparedness Summit kicked off its second day on Wednesday morning, March 25. The day began with a keynote address from the Chief Information Officer Arman Latif focused on the key principles of artificial intelligence (AI) in public health. He shared the dynamics involved in agentic AI. It describes advanced artificial intelligence systems that exhibit autonomy, goal-driven behavior, and…Read more