Mayor Jones Announces Healthy Richmond Campaign

Mayor Dwight C. Jones introduced the Healthy Richmond Campaign today during the City’s Employee Health and Safety Fair at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. The Healthy Richmond Campaign is a new City initiative designed to promote the improved health of City employees and residents by addressing the disparities affecting access to health care and health resources in the city of Richmond.

Mayor Jones stated that, “Launching the Healthy Richmond Campaign internally during the City’s Employee Health and Safety Fair presented an excellent opportunity to promote this initiative which includes a comprehensive workplace health promotion program. A public kick-off event is currently being scheduled for next spring. The goal of the Healthy Richmond Campaign is to promote healthier lifestyles and behaviors that will improve individual health and help prevent many of the chronic diseases and illnesses that affect far too many youth and adults in our city.”

The Healthy Richmond Campaign was proposed by the Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Health Policy, which was established in 2010, to address Mayor Jones’ concerns of the disparity in health outcomes across the Richmond community. The Blue Ribbon Commission researched many factors affecting health in Richmond, and proposed five focus areas to help improve the health and well-being of City residents: Healthy Richmond Campaign to promote healthy lifestyles to the community; health and social equity; behavioral health; medical homes for uninsured; and support for healthcare providers.

Members of the Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Health Policy are working on strategies to impact the identified focus areas. At the same time, several departments within the City’s Human Services division are moving forward in implementing the Healthy Richmond Campaign by engaging the community and encouraging the public to proactively embrace the Healthy Richmond concept by improving and maintaining their health.

The Healthy Richmond Campaign is preparing to conduct various activities and to participate with community events. The campaign involves current City initiatives, commissions, and task forces consisting of: Pedestrian, Bicycling and Trails Commission; Breast Feeding Commission; Active Seniors and Special Populations; Food Policy Task Force; and the Richmond Lets Move! Initiative.

For more information or to find out how to get involved in the Healthy Richmond Campaign, please call (804) 646-5823.