March is Brain Injury Awareness Month
Learn more about traumatic brain injuries, how to prevent them, and join us in raising awareness about this condition. vdh.virginia.gov/blog/2025/03/05/brain-injury-as-unique-as-the-person-who-lives-with-it/
NEW! Downloadable health fliers.
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Get to Know WPHD
Hall Tapped to Lead WPHD
Penny Hall has been selected to lead the West Piedmont Health District (WPHD) as director and began serving in that capacity on January 25. WPHD is one of 35 local health districts within the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) and encompasses the counties of Franklin, Henry and Patrick and the City of Martinsville. As director, Hall will organize, plan, direct, and manage programs to improve the district population’s overall well-being. This includes . . . Read more.
Putting Her Talents to Work - Chris Niblett Serves Nine Health Districts
You can be forgiven if you didn’t know that Christina Niblett is part of the WPHD team. That’s because she is also part of the team at no less than eight other health districts – in fact every district between Danville and the Tennessee border! (That would be Pittsylvania-Danville, Central Virginia, Roanoke City, Alleghany, West Piedmont, New River, Mount Rogers, Cumberland Plateau, and Lenowisco – nine total.)
As Human Resource Business Partner - Western Region, Chris . . . Read more.
A Mighty Voice for the Hispanic Community – “It’s in my heart.”
Since coming to the United States from her home in Puerto Rico in 2002, Maite (pronounced “Mighty”) Arroyo-Torres has used her voice to help others find their place in our local communities. Currently serving as a Certified Medical Interpreter for the West Piedmont Health District, Arroyo-Torres’s primary goal is to help the Hispanic community. “Sometimes they come here, and they have nobody to help them,” she said.
It can be a big job. . . Read more. Read Maite's story in Spanish.
West Piedmont Receives National Award
for Model Practice
West Piedmont Health District (WPHD) is among 14 local health departments across the nation, and the only one in Virginia, to be recognized for a Model Practice, by the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO). Model Practices are programs demonstrating exemplary and replicable qualities in response to a critical local public health need. WPHD’s initiative, Community Health Workers as Data Collectors Provides Equity in Rural Virginia, garnered the award during the NACCHO annual conference in Detroit on July 25. Read more.
Steve Bailey Earns BEACON Award
Steve Bailey has received the VDH 1st Quarter BEACON award winner (Jan – Mar 2024). BEACON award winners are VDH public health nurses recognized for Breaking Barriers, Empathy, Art of Caring, Community Advocacy, Original Ideas, and Never Ending Diligence.
Verna Burnette, Nurse Manager, Sr. nominated Steve for the award based on his emphatic nature with both patients and staff, and his dedication and commitment to the job. The nomination is forwarded to the state Director of Nursing, and a Beacon Award Committee selects quarterly winners.
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For medical assistance, contact your primary care provider or your nearest urgent care facility.
