Within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Public Health brings a public health approach to protecting the health of Veterans and staff.
Mission
The Public Health office's mission to protect Veterans' health through public health strategies is reflected in four pillars that uphold the ideals, initiatives, services, and programs within the office:
- Surveillance and epidemiology
- Underserved populations
- Disease prevention, risk reduction, and health promotion
- Public health policy
The goal of a public health approach is to improve health by focusing on the well-being of communities, in this case the community of Veterans and VA health staff. Our mission unfolds through a commitment to:
- Making sound public policy part of everything we do
- Designing programs that prevent illness and promote healthy behaviors
- Understanding environmental factors that affect health
- Supporting vulnerable populations
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Organization
Four Strategic Health Care Groups within the office cover a range of programs to protect and promote the health of Veterans and staff:
- The Environmental Health Strategic Health Care Group includes programs on environmental agents, environmental epidemiology, radiation and physical exposures, and the War Related Illness and Injury Study Centers.
- The Public Health Strategic Health Care Group includes programs on HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, influenza, smoking cessation, health care quality, and surveillance and research.
- The Population Health Strategic Health Care group works to improve Veteran health by identifying, assessing, and reporting on Veteran populations and the factors and interventions influencing their health.
- The Occupational Health Strategic Health Care Group covers issues from violence prevention to bloodborne pathogens and has major responsibility for the Veterans Health Administration's Workers' Compensation Program. This group includes the National Center for Occupational Health and Infection Control.
The VHA Emergency Management Evaluation Center (VEMEC) develops practices to mitigate, prepare for and respond to national emergencies and natural disasters.
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Leadership
Our mission and programs are carried out under the leadership of Victoria J. Davey, PH.D., M.P.H., R.N. – Chief Officer.
Read biographies of Public Health senior officials.
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