About the Health Department

With an annual budget of $70 million and more than 600 full-time staff, we are the largest public health department in Virginia, serving 1.2 million residents from diverse ethnic, cultural and economic backgrounds throughout Fairfax County, as well as the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church and the towns of Herndon, Vienna and Clifton. With more than 100 years of leadership in the field, we are committed to protecting, promoting and improving the health and quality of life for all in our community.

Our work is far-reaching. We inspect food establishments, operate five health clinics and four adult day health care programs, as well as provide vital records, like birth certificates and death records. We're also behind the scenes investigating and preventing the spread of illness. Our Epidemiology and Population Health division studies patterns of diseases in our communities and work to minimize the impact of new and emerging communicable diseases and other public health threats. Our public health laboratory provides quality clinical and environmental testing for the people of Fairfax County as well as a number of surrounding counties in Northern Virginia.

Our community continues to face many health challenges that range from obesity, diabetes and heart disease, to HIV/AIDS, environmental health hazards and the threat of bioterrorism. Health inequalities remain a reality in our community. The Fairfax County Health Department is committed to mobilizing community partners to identify health disparities and identify policies and programs to close the gaps. 

Accreditation

Fairfax County Health Department achieved national accreditation through the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) in May 2016. PHAB, established in 2007, and jointly funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, administers the national accreditation program. Accreditation works to improve and protect the health of the public by advancing and ultimately transforming the quality and performance of the nation’s state, local, tribal and territorial public health departments. To receive accreditation, Fairfax County Health Department demonstrated that it meets or exceeds a set of national quality standards and measures through a rigorous, multi-faceted, peer-reviewed assessment process. Accreditation has advanced quality and performance within the Health Department, laying the foundation for improved protection, promotion, and preservation of community health. Visit PHAB to learn more.

Director of Health

Gloria Addo-Ayensu, MD, MPH is the Director of Health for Fairfax County. In this capacity she provides overall leadership and direction for public health programs in the county and serves as the official health advisor to Fairfax Board of Supervisors, Health Care Advisory Board and the Human Services Council. She is a visionary leader with a passion for promoting community resiliency and creating innovative, practical and sustainable community-based approaches to public health challenges.  She has led a number of regional and state public health initiatives in the areas of health literacy, emergency preparedness, obesity prevention and health equity, as well as served on a number of national committees, including NACCHO’s Public Health Preparedness Essential Services Committee and two Institute of Medicine committees on personal protective equipment for healthcare workers to prevent transmission of pandemic influenza or other viral respiratory infections. In 2016 Dr. Gloria was a recipient of the A. Heath Onthank Memorial Award, the highest honor the county bestows upon its employees.

Focus

The Health Department has five core functions upon which service activities are based:

• Prevention of epidemics and the spread of disease. 
• Protecting the public against environmental hazards. 
• Promoting and encouraging healthy behaviors. 
• Assuring the quality and accessibility of health services. 
• Responding to disasters and assisting communities in recovery. 

Strategic Goals

• Threats to Public Health: Prevent or minimize impact of new and emerging communicable diseases and other public health threats. 
• Access to Service: Assess community public health service needs and facilitate access to needed and/or mandated services. 
• Workforce Management: Employ and retain a skilled productive workforce that seeks to mirror the diversity of the community. 
• Enhanced Communications and Information Systems: Integrate and harness the use of proven technology to provide cost effective public health services.

Health Department Strategic Plan

The Fairfax County Health Department Strategic Plan 2014-2019 was completed in the summer of 2014. The plan is built upon the framework of the 10 Essential Public Health Services (EPHS), which define public health and serve as the foundation for quality and performance improvement efforts nationwide. The goals, objectives, and key actions are outlined across each EPHS to show how Health Department priorities align with national, state, regional, and other local initiatives.

Building a strong public health infrastructure is central to effective delivery of the 10 EPHS. In order to meet the changing needs of the community, the workforce must be prepared for the changing role of public health and partnerships must be strengthened for effective collaboration. A greater focus on monitoring and evaluating community health data, and leveraging technology to communicate information internally and externally will enable the Health Department to better anticipate emerging public health issues and proactively address them.

Having identified organizational priorities and strategic direction, the Health Department is better equipped to address the public health challenges of today and the future. Implementation is underway for many of the key actions in the strategic plan. The Health Department will regularly monitor progress on implementation and update the plan as necessary to reflect changing needs and resources. By working together across programs and sectors, the Health Department will further its mission to protect, promote, and improve health and quality of life for all in the community.

Fairfax County Health Department
Notice of Privacy Practices

The Health Department provides the Fairfax County Notice of Privacy Practices to clients who receive clinic and home based services. Additional information concerning our Privacy Practices may be obtained from the following:

Health Department Privacy Officer
10777 Main Street, Suite 203
Fairfax, VA 22030
Phone: 703-246-2477, TTY 711

Fairfax County's HIPAA Compliance Manager
Fairfax County Government Center
12000 Government Center Parkway Suite 527
Fairfax, VA 22035
Phone: 703-324-4136, TTY 711