The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is mandated by the Virginia Acts of Assembly, Chapter 510 to evaluate the status of certified community health workers (CHWs) in the Commonwealth and submit a report on its findings to the Chairs of the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations and the House Committee on Appropriations and the Director of the Department of Planning and Budget. The report shall be made available on November 1, 2025. The report provides data on the number of certified/non-certified community health workers employed by the VDH, including local health departments (LHD), types of services provided by CHWs, as well as performance and outcome measures for such services. In addition, the report highlights opportunities to support future CHW workforce needs by VDH and LHD, non-state resources used to fund community health workers, and descriptions of contracts entered by localities to provide community health services.

REPORT HIGHLIGHTS

1. The Bureau of Labor statistics estimates 1,380 CHWs are employed across the state.

2. As of July 2025, 366 individuals held active CHW certifications through the Virginia Certification Board for Certified Community Health Worker. The certified population is majority Black or African American and between the ages of 40-59 with over 50% having some level of post-secondary education.

3. The VDH CHW workforce is comprised of 75 staff assigned across 27 health districts and one CHW Coordinator assigned to VDH’s Community Health Services (CHS). The 75-district level CHW staff include 47 VDH classified and wage employees and 28 contract staff. The largest number of CHW work in the Central region. The Northwest region has the smallest number of CHWs.

4. The ten approved certification training providers in Virginia (between January 2024 – June 2025) trained 898 individuals nationally with 564 being Virginia residents.

5. CHW practice is aligned with the core roles outlined by the National Council on CHW Core Consensus Standards. The most frequent role for CHWs in LHDs is conducting outreach (89%), followed by resource navigation (81%), health education (78%) and care coordination/case management (74%).

6. Unite Virginia data shows that between June 2024 and June 2025 VDH CHWs served a total of 3,939 clients and managed a total of 6,383 cases. The most common needs identified through the platform include food assistance, individual & family support (Benefits Navigation), clothing & household goods, housing & shelter and mental/behavioral health services.

7. Between June 2024 – June 2025, 93 CHW positions at VDH were lost due to the ending of several federal grants.