Our advocates serve as liaisons to connect individuals with affordable health care access and enable them to make informed decisions on residential living options.  Through resources, information sharing and collaboration with partners, we promote and advocate for appropriate interventions aimed at improving health and residential outcomes for underserved populations.

Archived Resources

Give Comments on Fair Housing by March 31

The Metropolitan Council of Governments wants like your valuable feedback on its 2023-24 Regional Fair Housing Plan. This plan is the first step for local jurisdictions to give the Federal government guidance on achieving more fair and more affordable housing goals.

Public comment period runs until March 31, 2023. Each local jurisdiction developed up its own priorities. See yours by selecting your locality in blue link below. Then complete a brief survey in the Public Comment tab below.

Link to each Fair Housing Plan: Prince William County, City of Alexandria, Arlington County, District of Columbia, Fairfax County, Loudoun County, City of Gaithersburg, MD, Montgomery County, MD.

After the public comment period, and revision will be made before the final Fair Housing Plan is submitted to US Department of Housing and Urban Development or HUD.

Now is the time for your voice and your neighbors and friend to be heard. Share this rare opportunity with others in the Washington Metro area. Source: Prince William County NAACP Feb 23, 2023

Advisory from the US Surgeon General

Avoid Pitfalls of Disinformation Campaigns

To be confident that information is fact-based and to prevent pitfalls of misinformation, always  pause to check if the source is verifiable. Websites that end in .gov tell you the source is state-government, federal-government or local government. Information from these sources can be considered verified sources. An important advisory from the Office of the US Surgeon General laid out how to win the war against misinformation in its  Confronting Health Misinformation published July 2021.

Image Source: Confronting Health Misinformation, July 2021

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Scam Alert – Open Enrollment for Health Plans

Open enrollment for choosing health care plans begins October 15 for employees and retirees in the Federal sector and many private employers. Known to be a period when scammers are busier that normal, alerts have gone out from Federal, states, local agencies and advocates warning consumers to beware. Fraud and scams increases particularly aimed at for seniors on Medicare. Scammers become more sophisticated every year and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) advises how to recognize “spoofing,” in a new video, to help consumers avoid traps while sorting through health care options. Open enrollment also known as open season coincides this year with the expected end of the national Public Health Emergency (PHE) for COVID-19. Unless the PHE is extended, Medicaid enrollment at the state level is also set to begin, creating a new target for scammers. To improve public awareness on ways to defeat robocalls and other scam tactics, the FCC and seniors advocate AARP.org have launched public awareness campaigns in these user-friendly resources, FCC: https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/stop-unwanted-robocalls-and-texts and AARP: https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/info-2020/coronavirus.html

Published Sept 14, 2022

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Protecting Voter Access in 2022 Midterm Elections

Voting is not only your right, it is your power! This makes it important in today’s climate of partisan rhetoric and political discourse that we, the public, combat attempts by those whose goal is to dilute the power of our votes. 

Efforts to distract or stop voters often involve disinformation and voter suppression tactics. The purpose is to erode public confidence in the election process and election results. Moreover, fact-checking is often absent, making it easy to mislead the public with disinformation using social media and newer methods of technology. Despite these efforts, voters can still harness the power of their vote. Read about tools for voters:

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Partnership for Healthier Communities

Don’t wait! Virginia school children may receive free school physicals by appointment, April to August 2022. The Partnership for Healthier Communities (PHC) of INOVA, announced this important community initiative, the first Free School Physicals Event for children ages 4 to 18 who are uninsured or on Medicaid. Location is the INOVA Cares Clinic for Families in Manassas. Call today 703 698-2550 to schedule your child’s free appointment and read details under the yellow school buses below! Also, find out about other services available from PHC, including updated enrollment for Virginia’s expanded Medicaid at Partnership for Healthier Communities.

Parents of school-age children may now take advantage of health coverage for children like never before. Expanded adult coverage is also available, in some cases no-cost. Coverva.org wants Virginians to know that all children have access to low-cost or no-cost health insurance through Medicaid and FAMIS. Watch this 1-minute video overview Link How to Apply For the 20th year, the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) is partnering with the Department of Education (DOE) to provide coverage.

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State and Local Primary Elections

Exercising the right to vote should not be restricted every four years for presidential elections. Voting matters in statewide and local elections. These elected officials make decisions that affect everyday quality of life, such as gun laws, funding for public schools and recreation, even schedules and locations of voting locations. Every citizen can have a say in these matters, simply by voting. Now is the time to confirm you are registered to vote. Virginia information here. Maryland here. Washington DC here.

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Past Events in the Community

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Free vaccination clinics have been announced for walk-ins and by appointments. Schedules and locations for July and August available from the Virginia Department of Health here.

Important update from Prince William Health District on at-home test kits. This and all recent updates details visit http://www.vhd.virginia.gov/prince-william and on Facebook: Facebook.com/PrinceWilliamHD

Our volunteers staffed Prince Wm Health District at Mobile Vaccination Clinics

Panel Discussion NVBCC and Fairfax Health District: Caring Through COVID-19

Exhibit on Access to Safe and Affordable Housing, Prince William NAACP Housing Expo at NOVA Woodbridge Campus

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