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CONTACT INFORMATION: Our office is open 9AM-5PM M-F
703-324-7329 TTY 711
12000 Government Center Parkway
Fairfax, VA 22035
Contact Name
Chairman

Census 2020

October 15, 2020: The U.S. Census Bureau will stop collecting data for the census. Residents can self-respond online, by phone or by mail until this date.
December 31, 2020: The U.S. Census Bureau will deliver apportionment counts to the President and Congress by this date.
March 31, 2021: The U.S. Census Bureau will send redistricting counts to the states. This information is used to redraw legislative districts based on population changes.

Privacy

All responses to Census Bureau surveys and censuses are confidential and protected under Title 13 of the U .S . Code. Under this law, the Census Bureau is required to keep respondent information confidential. It will never share a respondent’s personal information with immigration enforcement agencies, like ICE; law enforcement agencies, like the FBI or police; or allow it to be used to determine their eligibility for government benefits. The results from any census or survey are reported in statistical format only.

Frequently Asked Questions

Luis Angel Aguilar
Director
CASA Virginia

Edgar Aranda-Yanoc
Legal Aid Justice Center

Sharon D. Arndt
Director, Community Health Development and Preparedness Division
Fairfax County Health Department

Theresa Benincasa
Coordinator of Grants, Research and Training
Fairfax County Office of Public Private Partnerships

Steven Bloom
Chairman
Human Services Council

Karla Bruce
Chief Equity Officer
Fairfax County Government

Kristen Buchner
Family and Schools Partnership
Fairfax County Public Schools

John Cano
Community Organizer
Centreville Immigration Forum

Tony Castrilli
Director of Public Affairs
Fairfax County Government

Lynne Coan
Communications and Marketing Manager
Town of Vienna

Kim Oanh Cook
Executive Director
Vietnamese Resettlement Association

Rosalia Fajardo
Executive Director/CEO
Multicultural Family and Education Center

Joe Fay
Executive Director
FACETS

Jorge E. Figueredo
Executive Director
Edu-Futuro

Eric Forman
Community Development and Planning
City of Fairfax

Matthew Graham
Policy, Reporting and Communications
Fairfax County Housing and Community Development

Judy Helein
Co-President
League of Women Voters of the Fairfax Area

Timothy Johnson
United Way of the National Capital Area

Jill Kaneff
Fairfax County Public Schools

Levina Kim
United Way of the National Capital Area

Michelle LaRue
Director of Virginia
CASA

Jeremy Lasich
Deputy Director, Public Affairs
Fairfax County Government

Heisung Lee
Resident

Steve Lee
Resident

Bob Marro
Board Member
ADAMS Center

Pam Martin
Communication and Community Relations
Fairfax County Public Schools

Ondrea McIntyre-Hall
Director of Health Access & Nutrition Services
Northern Virginia Family Services

Marlon Murphy
One Fairfax
Fairfax County Government

Steve Mutty
Chief Executive Officer
Volunteer Fairfax

BeBe Nguyen
Director of Communications
Reston Community Center

Sean Perryman
President
Fairfax County NAACP

Saif Rahman
Director of Public and Government Affairs
Dar Al-Hijrah Mosque

Anu Sahai
Co-President
League of Women Voters of the Fairfax Area

Cristina Schoendorf
Director of Literacy
United Community Ministries

Katie Strotman
Community Impact Unit Manager
Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services

Alis Wang
Fairfax County Human Services Council

Kerrie Wilson
Chief Executive Officer
Cornerstones

Opioids Communications Toolkit

 

In 2019, the Fairfax Opioid and Substance Use Task Force led a multi-platform public awareness campaign to bring attention to the opioid crisis and resources available in the Fairfax community. The materials in the toolkit represent different Could Be You communication campaigns that Fairfax County implemented during this time. Images and videos were developed and tested for that campaign, and are now available to download in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Arabic and French. These campaigns sought to reassure people experiencing opioid substance misuse that they are not alone, that it is important to stay connected to others and that help is available. 

New social media creative was added to the toolkit in 2023 to keep the conversation going and to provide new context to the ongoing issue.

We encourage others to use all of these tools to help prevent opioid misuse, dispel stigma and provide resources to aid in recovery.

Opioid Campaign Communication Toolkit

Use this updated toolkit to help prevent opioid misuse, dispel stigma and provide resources to aid in recovery.

Discover graphics and social media posts in English and Spanish.

 

 

 


For more information or to request additional materials that may not be available here, contact Ellen Volo, Fairfax County Opioid & Substance Use Task Force Coordinator, at 703-324-7073, TTY 711.

Opioids

Emergency / Overdose

Call or text 9-1-1 if the situation is immediately life-threatening. Our Fire and Rescue personnel carry medication that can prevent death from an opioid overdose. 

Call the Fairfax Detoxification Center at 703-502-7000, available 24/7, every day of the year, including weekends and holidays. Our staff will talk with you about your options.


News

fake-and-real-opioid-pills6 FENTANYL FACTS

  1. Fentanyl is involved in more deaths of Americans under 50 than any other cause of death, including heart disease, cancer, and all other accidents.
  2. Practically all of the pills seized by law enforcement are fake, and 40% contain a potentially lethal amount of fentanyl.
  3. Fentanyl is involved in more American youth drug deaths than heroin, meth, cocaine, benzos and Rx drugs combined.
  4. Fake pills have been found in all 50 states. Assume any prescription med you see online is fake, including Oxy, Percocet, and Xanax.
  5. Fentanyl is cheap, potent and profitable, so dealers use it to make fake pills. It can also be found in party drugs like cocaine and MDMA.
  6. Illegally made fentanyl is the primary driver of the recent increase in all U.S. overdose deaths. Fentanyl-involved deaths are fastest growing among 14-23 year olds.

fake and real opioid pills, including those with fentanylFentanyl is extremely fatal, even in the smallest doses. Similar to national and statewide trends, most fatal overdoses in Fairfax County in recent years have involved fentanyl, which is a common substitute or cutting agent in rainbow fentanyl pills in multiple colorsillicit narcotics such as cocaine, heroin, MDMA (also known as ecstasy or molly), as well as counterfeit pills. Nationally, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reports a dramatic rise in the number of counterfeit pills containing at least two milligrams of fentanyl, which is considered a deadly dose. Counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl can look the same as authentic pills, making it almost impossible to know whether a pill has a deadly dose of fentanyl or not. 

Rainbow fentanyl – or fentanyl pills and powder that come in a variety of bright colors, shapes, and sizes – is also an emerging national concern, according to the U.S. DEA.

burnt tin foil with opioid residueOur Police Department has found that numerous youth overdoses have involved burnt tin foil which is often used to facilitate the inhalation of the pills (other Northern Virginia jurisdictions are also observing this).

Signs of Opioid Overdose: 

  • Face is pale or clammy
  • Breathing is infrequent or has stopped
  • Deep snoring or gurgling (death rattle)
  • Unresponsive to any stimuli
  • Slow or no heart rate and/or pulse
  • Bluish purple, or ashen skin color
  • Fingernails turn blue or blue-black

What We're Doing

Opioids: What You Can Do

Emergency / Overdose

Call or text 9-1-1 if the situation is immediately life-threatening. Our Fire and Rescue personnel carry medication that can prevent death from an opioid overdose. 

Our Detox Diversion Outreach team responds to police and community requests to intervene at the scene of a potential arrest. Available 3 p.m.-1 a.m. daily; call 703-502-7000.


Fairfax Prevention CoalitionFairfax Prevention Coalition logo

The Fairfax Prevention Coalition is a community partnership working together to combat substance misuse in our community

The coalition includes parents, youth, schools, healthcare providers, government agencies, law enforcement, faith-based organizations, media, nonprofits, businesses, policymakers and volunteers.

Check out or join the coalition to:

  • Learn more about local prevention efforts.
  • Sign up for monthly updates.
  • Attend meetings and workgroups to help develop and implement solutions.

Be Aware & Share on Social Media

Our Opioids Communications Toolkit provides images and videos in multiple languages for you to share with friends and community partners.


HIPAA: Business Associate Agreements

What Are Business Associates?

Fairfax County may require the assistance of various third parties in order to support the provision of health care services to our residents and employees.

The HIPAA regulations identify these parties as Business Associates and can include consultants, businesses, contractors, vendors, and individuals who provide services to Fairfax County, including the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board.

This requires our designated business associates to provide assurances in meeting required safeguards for creating, receiving, storing and transmitting any electronic protected health information.

HIPAA mandates that an agreement be established between a covered entity (Fairfax County and its agencies) and any business associate that provides services on our behalf where individually identifiable health information may be encountered during the course of those services.

Business Associate Agreements

A signed Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with Fairfax County is required to ensure these parties will maintain the privacy and confidentiality of protected health information as well as provide necessary access to the information in accordance with the law.

  • The business associate agreement is required independent of the monetary value of the contract.  Business associate agreements may be required for anything from a small purchase order for a one-time shredding of old patient records to a multi-year contract for health information system software maintenance.
  • Business associate agreements with Fairfax County are required regardless of the jurisdiction where the original contract was awarded.
     

 

Guidance for Completing Agreements 

This guidance applies to completing either:

  1. a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) or

  2. a Business Associate/Qualified Service Organization Agreement (BA/QSOA)
     

  • All BAAs or BA/QSOAs must be fully completed to be valid, with appropriate signatory.
     
  • Questions regarding the completion of BAs or BA/QSOAs must be directed to the agency point of contact or the assigned contract specialist.
     
  • Contact the Fairfax County HIPAA Compliance Officer regarding general HIPAA compliance requirements.
     
For more information about the Business Associate process with Fairfax County, please contact the HIPAA Compliance Officer at HIPAAComplianceOfficer@fairfaxcounty.gov or by phone at 703-324-2164, TTY 711.
 

HIPAA: Filing a Complaint

Health Information Privacy and Security Complaint Process

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) allows individuals to file complaints regarding their health information privacy rights.

The Fairfax County HIPAA Compliance Program investigates and responds to complaints from, or on behalf of, residents who have received any health care services from Fairfax County government agencies, Fairfax County government employees, and retirees participating in the Health Plan administered by the County’s Department of Human Resources' Benefits Division.

Complaints must be submitted within 180 days from the date of the alleged infraction. Complaints are accepted for violations related to the privacy and security of individual’s protected health information (PHI).  PHI is individually identifiable health information in any form or media, whether electronic, paper, or oral.

An investigation will be conducted once the complaint is received to determine if an alleged action or violation fails to comply with the HIPAA Privacy or Security Rules.
 


You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights; 1-800-537-7697; ocrmail@hhs.gov.
 

If your complaint is related to health insurance premiums, health-care provider service charges, quality of care issues, or privacy or security concerns not associated with Fairfax County services, please contact the respective organization directly.

Fairfax County HIPAA Officers

HIPAA Compliance Officer

The HIPAA Compliance Officer (HCO) ensures the county's compliance with the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) as well as other state and federal health data protections and information privacy regulations and laws by overseeing the county-wide HIPAA security and privacy programs. 

The HCO’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Working with the HIPAA Privacy and Security Officers within county agencies to standardize the implementation of HIPAA regulations.
     
  • Conducting HIPAA compliance evaluations and Security Risk Assessments of county agencies with covered functions.
     
  • Reviewing, revising, and establishing, as necessary, county-wide HIPAA policies, procedures and guidelines.
     
  • Developing, implementing and documenting HIPAA Security Awareness and Privacy training for all affected county employees.
     
  • Working with the County Attorney and Department of Information Technology (DIT) Information Security Office (ISO) to ensure that the county's policies/procedures and information system security conform with HIPAA, the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) and other privacy regulations for best practices, procedures and technical implications.
     
  • Receiving complaints into violations of HIPAA policy and conducting required follow up/investigations.
     
Contact the HIPAA Compliance Officer at HIPAAComplianceOfficer@fairfaxcounty.gov or by phone at 703-324-2164, TTY 711.

HIPAA Privacy Officers

Covered entities must also designate a "contact person or office" to be responsible for providing information, receiving complaints and handling the administration of requests for records access, amendments, disclosure accountings, supplemental protections, confidential communications, etc.

Fairfax County's Health Plan and covered agencies have designated HIPAA contacts for the handling of administrative requests for information:

Community Services Board Privacy Officer: 703-324-4426, TTY 711

Fire and Rescue Department Privacy Officer: 703-246-3558, TTY 711

Health Department Privacy Officer: 703-246-8634, TTY 711

Health Plan Privacy Officer: 703-324-4172, TTY 711

Neighborhood and Community Services, Adult Day Health Care Privacy Officer: 703-704-6050, TTY 711

Sheriff’s Office, Medical Branch Privacy Officer: 703-246-4459, TTY 711

HIPAA: Health Insurance Portability Accountability Act

Fairfax County's HIPAA Compliance Program 

Fairfax County understands your health privacy is important. We are committed to implementing the provisions under HIPAA and have a HIPAA Compliance Program in place.  
The Program ensures the County complies with HIPAA, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act of 2009.  This includes all applicable requirements of the HIPAA Security and Privacy Rules and all amendments to such rules contained in the HITECH Act and any accompanying regulations, and any other subsequently adopted amendments or regulations.

More About Fairfax County and HIPAA

The County classifies itself as a "hybrid entity’” a term that is defined in the Code of Federal Regulations, Section 164.103. The County is a covered entity whose business activities include both covered and non-covered functions.

Those components of the County performing covered functions or activities and those components performing functions or activities that would make them a business associate of a component that performs covered functions if the two components were separate legal entities shall be designated health care components and are required to implement the provisions of this procedural memorandum.

The assignment of agencies and programs within the Fairfax County HIPAA Hybrid Entity is subject to change based upon changes to regulation or to internal business processes.

HIPAA regulations directly cover 3 basic groups of individual or entities:

Fairfax County Government's Health Plan is a separate legal entity and a covered entity under HIPAA. Many of the implementation provisions of HIPAA do not apply to Fairfax County's fully insured components of the Health Plan; however, all provisions of HIPAA apply to the self-insured component of the Health Plan. 

Fairfax County Government employees may participate in the many benefit plans offered by the County, such as health insurance, long term care insurance, the employee assistance program, and flexible spending programs. Fairfax County Government retirees are eligible to continue their health, dental, life, and long-term care insurance. HIPAA applies to these benefit plans; therefore the County benefit plans will be HIPAA compliant.

Employees who request assistance from the Department of Human Resources with respect to benefit claims or issues may be asked to sign a waiver, authorizing County benefit staff to discuss their benefit issues with a plan provider. Waivers are available from each individual health plan. 

 

Fairfax County Government provides care and services related to the physical or mental health of our residents. Fairfax County also provides numerous non-health care related services to our residents. Fairfax County has chosen to restrict the application of the HIPAA Privacy Rule to those parts of the County enterprise that are performing covered health care transactions.

A covered health care transaction is an electronic billing function related to payment or authorization for health care services. The application of the HIPAA Privacy Rule to certain components of the County is permissible within the definition of a hybrid entity. 

Fairfax County's hybrid entity currently consists of the Fire and Rescue Department (FRD), the Health Department (HD), Neighborhood and Community Services - Adult Day Health Care, Sheriff's Office - Medical Branch and the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board (CSB).

Agencies providing human services support to clients of the HD and the CSB will be designated within the hybrid entity as appropriate policies and procedures are adopted. In addition, as agencies seek to automate business processes related to health care billing and electronic transactions, then they will be designated within the Fairfax County Government's HIPAA hybrid entity. 

Agencies providing other health care services to employees, students, inmates or residents will continue to apply the appropriate confidentiality provisions mandated by licensure standards, ethical codes, county personnel policies, and other federal and state laws. 

Fairfax County Government does not consist of any health care clearinghouse functions. 

Fairfax County's Virtual Assistant

Our virtual assistant is new and still learning!

Check it out and provide us your feedback. Your feedback will help us provide the best experience as we continue to grow and add topics to our virtual assistant. Topics are currently limited to the ones listed below. 


Virtual Assistant screenshotUsing the Virtual Assistant is Easy

Virtual Assistant iconTo speak with our Virtual Assistant, simply click on the icon in the lower-right corner of our website. The Virtual Assistant window will expand, greet you and present a list of topics to choose from; or you may try typing a question of your own.

When the Virtual Assistant answers your question it may also provide additional related information or options for you to choose from in order to better determine what you want.

The Virtual Assistant is available 24/7 on fairfaxcounty.gov and works with your computer, tablet and mobile phone.

What Can the Virtual Assistant Do?

The Virtual Assistant will direct you to information available on the website, either by displaying it for you within the window or by providing a link for more information. You may ask questions by typing in your own words and ask follow-up questions.

Our Virtual Assistant is always learning thanks to its artificial intelligence. Meanwhile, our customer service staff feed it a steady diet of topics and refinements based on the questions you ask the most. To start, covered topics are:

  • Board of Supervisors
  • Dog Licenses
  • Taxes
  • Trash and Recycling
  • Voting and Elections

What Can't the Virtual Assistant Do?

Though it recognizes patterns of behavior and is able to update and make connections to information accordingly, our Virtual Assistant isn't all-knowing.

Our Virtual Assistant cannot: 

  • tell you a joke.
  • play your favorite song.
  • provide information on any topic of your choosing.

...though our search engine will gladly help you with that last one.

Search the Website

More About the Fairfax Virtual Assistant

Our developers and customer service agents are continuously improving the knowledge base to provide the best experience.
To provide your feedback take our online survey.


Community Associations

Charge Up Fairfax

Charge Up Fairfax is a program to help residents of homeowners associations (HOAs) and condominium owners associations (COAs) access charging for electric vehicles (EVs). 

Charge Up Fairfax supports HOAs in identifying and overcoming challenges, both technical and financial, to on-site EV charging for residents and their guests. For the purpose of this program, HOA communities can include multi-family condo buildings, clusters, or townhome communities that offer common area parking that is accessible for residents and their guests.


Community Gardening

Fairfax County’s current zoning rules have expanded the locations where community gardens, farmers markets and home gardens are allowed:

  • Farmers Markets Allowed in More Places Year-Round
    The new zoning law broadens when and where farmers markets may operate and what they can sell. They can be open all year and can now be located anywhere, as long as there is adequate parking and access to the site; for example, a farmers market can locate in an apartment building parking lot, an industrial or office complex or a community pool.

  • Edible Gardens Allowed in Front Yards
    For homeowners, the zoning law ends the prohibition of edible gardens in front yards for lots less than 36,000 square feet. These fruit, vegetable, herb or flower gardens must be set back 15 feet from the front lot line, and they are limited to 100 square feet. Compost areas are not permitted in front yards.

Planning Your Community Garden

When establishing a community garden, you may contact the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District Office (NVSWCD) at 703-324-1460, TTY 711. This agency can also assist with preparing a district-approved Soil and Water Quality Conservation Plan for the garden.

The Fairfax Food Council, a county-sponsored coalition, offers community gardening workshops to teach residents how to grow their own food.


Community Gardens Allowed on Ground and Rooftops

Community gardens now are allowed without restriction in open spaces as long as:

  • they are under two acres.
  • they aren’t the principal use on a property.

However, community gardens aren’t allowed on single-family home sites.

Because of the previous zoning rules, there are only about six private community gardens in the county as of 2019. The Park Authority also oversees nine community garden plots.

Site planning is critical to developing a successful community garden. Here are examples of good and bad locations for a community garden.

Good locations:

  • Relatively flat lands exposed to plenty of sunlight
  • Water accessible
  • Deep high-quality soil without large debris
  • Close to residents who want to take part in the garden

Bad Locations:

  • Steep sloping land
  • Wetlands
  • Chesapeake Bay Resource Protection Areas (RPAs)
  • Outside Fairfax County Zoning setback limits

Your garden may require a zoning permit which may also include a Soil and Water Quality Conservation Plan, depending on location and size. Larger gardens, such as those greater than 10,000 square feet, may be subject to additional erosion and sediment controls or other county ordinances.

You may contact the Zoning Administration Division at 703-324-1314, TTY 711, for further assistance.

Storage structures are allowed in the community garden: 

  • total square footage of all structures cannot exceed 250 square feet.
  • building permits are not required for these structures (e.g. sheds or greenhouses) under 256 square feet.
  • retaining walls may require a building permit.

You may contact the Permit Application Center at 703-222-0801, TTY 711, with questions.

Zoning Setbacks and Permits
Zoning Administration | Department of Planning and Development
703-324-1314

Soil and Water Quality Conservation Plans
Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District
703-324-1460

Nonprofit Assistance 
Nonprofits/Places of Worship Coordinator | Department of Land Development Services
703-324-1780

Fairfax Food Council
703-246-8404
 

Managing Your Community Garden

Once established, it is important that you know the rules and best practices for maintaining your community garden while being a good neighbor.


Gardening hours are limited to between 7 a.m. and dusk.

For time limitations on the use of gasoline powered or mechanized equipment please refer to the Fairfax County noise ordinance.

Traditional gardening equipment should be used to maintain your plot, such as: trowels, hand fork, claw or cultivator, hoe, hand pruner, watering can, shovel or spade, wheelbarrow and gloves. For time limitations on the use of gasoline powered or mechanized equipment please refer to the Fairfax County noise ordinance.

Healthy Garden Maintenance Basics:

  • You may need to strip compacted soils. You can use a tiller but should only do so in the spring and fall.
  • Apply a layer of organic material (e.g. mulch or compost) after tilling to help prepare soil.
  • Use mulch and compost to assist with weed control, soil enrichment, soil moisture and temperature retention.
  • Use boxed planting beds and mulched borders to assist with erosion control and maintain soil nutrient quality.
  • Prevent erosion along paths between planting beds by using wood chips or heavy geotextile fabric as ground cover.
  • Apply commercial fertilizer based on soil test recommendations.
  • Apply pesticides according to the label instructions – be sure to use the appropriate product for the specific pest.
  • Plant warm/cool season cover crop at the end of a growing season to suppress weeds, add nutrients to soil, reduce erosion and protect water quality.

Additional Gardening Resources:

Tool Library tool shed


Do You Need Some Gardening Tools?

The Fairfax Food Council recently created a Tool Library available to anyone planning to grow edible plants. Located in the garden shed behind Daniels Run Peace Church (3729 Old Lee Hwy., Fairfax, VA 22030) in Fairfax City are a wide assortment of shovels, hoes, rakes, pruners, a posthole digger, a wheel barrow and a small rototiller that are available to borrow free of charge. Make a tool reservation

Check with the Department of Planning and Development, Zoning Permits Branch, Sign Permits Section for the guidelines in your zoning district. 

The Zoning Administration Division enforces, maintains and administers the provisions of the Fairfax County Zoning Ordinance and Noise Ordinance

 

Benefits of Community Gardens

Community gardens address the hunger for locally grown food while also increasing access to healthy food options

Community garden programs offer many benefits, especially for citizens, in both urban and suburban areas. 


  • Beautification
    Community gardening turns urban eyesores into vibrant green space, which can improve the quality of life for everyone in the neighborhood – not just the people that actually tend the garden.
     
  • Fresh Produce
    Community gardens can provide fresh, nutritious produce for many families that couldn’t otherwise afford it, improving their diet and overall health. Some gardeners donate what they have grown to local food pantries, shelters and hospitals.
     
  • A Cleaner Environment
    Plants in community gardens add oxygen to the air and help reduce air pollution. They also absorb rainwater, reducing the amount of runoff that runs through neighboring land and streets. This decreases the amount of pollutants that enter rivers and lakes in the community.
     
  • Stronger Families & Communities
    Tending of community gardens gives residents a chance to connect with their neighbors and feel more personally invested in the places they live, building a sense of ownership and
    belonging.
     
  • Educational Opportunities
    Working in a community garden is educational for kids and adults for basic gardening skills and nutrition and provides an opportunity to learn about other cultural food differences within their community.
Fairfax Virtual Assistant