AGP Executive Report

EMS Workforce: Fluvanna County approved a new advanced EMT position, separating basic EMTs, advanced EMTs, and medics with clearer scopes of practice and pay. Prison Health Accountability: A long-running federal lawsuit over medical care at Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women ended after 14 years, with reforms tied to national clinical guidelines, staffing/response standards, and upgrades like electronic medical records. Food Safety: Clover Hill Dairy issued a recall of soft ricotta/requeson cheese potentially contaminated with listeria, sold in multiple states including Virginia, after illnesses were reported. Heat Relief: Delaware and Lynchburg opened cooling centers during the heat wave, offering air-conditioned spaces and water to help residents stay safe. Rural Health & Disaster Impacts: Shenandoah County sought an agricultural disaster declaration after a late freeze and dry spring damaged hay, pasture, orchards, vineyards, and barley. Public Health Watch: U.S. measles cases topped 2,000 this year as outbreaks near worst-in-decades levels, with Virginia reporting rising counts. Community Health Access: Warren County supervisors authorized applying for a federal SAFER grant to add 18 fire and rescue positions, supporting emergency response capacity.

Rural Hospital Closures: A new Virginia Joint Commission on Health Care report flags 13 rural hospitals at distant or immediate risk of closing, including Carilion facilities in Giles and Tazewell, raising alarms about longer emergency travel times as Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement pressures mount. Public Health—Measles: Virginia is seeing its worst measles year on record, with 77 cases confirmed statewide and Buckingham County driving a growing outbreak; health officials stress vaccination and travel-related vigilance. Food Safety—Listeria: Clover Hill Dairy soft ricotta and requesón recalls are tied to a multistate Listeria outbreak that has sickened people in Virginia, New York, and Maryland, with one death reported and facility follow-up underway. Food Safety—Salmonella Supplements: A Salmonella outbreak linked to moringa leaf powder supplements has expanded to 119 illnesses across 36 states, prompting additional recall coverage. Wellness & Care Access: DeepHealth launched Reporting Pro, an AI tool aimed at speeding radiology report creation; Virginia also continues pushing nutrition access via summer meal programs in other states, underscoring the broader health-and-food connection. Safety & Community: Northern Virginia hospitals are treating early-season copperhead snakebites, and Virginia State Police reported a deadly I-95 bus crash driver now facing court appearances.

Cardiac Preparedness: HCA Virginia is donating $10,000 to the Compress and Shock Foundation to expand free CPR training and place 10 AEDs across Virginia, aiming to boost survival odds during cardiac emergencies. Rural Hospital Strain: A Virginia health workforce and hospital stability report flags 13 rural hospitals at risk, including LewisGale Hospital Pulaski and Carilion Giles Community, prompting system reassurances that facilities remain open. Nursing Scholarship Overhaul: Virginia is reorganizing nursing scholarship programs after findings that more than $10M sat unused, with new oversight focused on clearer eligibility and easier access for students. Behavioral Health Hiring: Dickenson County Behavioral Health Services is advertising case manager openings for ID/DD and for mental health/substance use roles, with crisis on-call duties and bachelor’s-level requirements. COVID Prevention Update: The FDA approved Xocova (ensitrelvir) as an oral option for COVID-19 postexposure prevention for people 12+ after exposure. Food Safety Alert: Clover Hill Dairy recalled soft ricotta/requeson cheese due to possible Listeria contamination, with distribution reported across multiple states including Virginia. Workforce & Tech Planning: Radford University received an ARC POWER grant to develop an AI-enabled workforce roadmap for Southwest Virginia, including healthcare and skilled trades. Public Health in the Community: Shenandoah Community Health Clinic is reducing and restructuring services to stay afloat amid insurance losses, with dental care expected to drop while medical access continues with adjustments.

Rural Hospital Closures: A new Virginia Joint Commission on Health Care presentation says 7 of 36 rural hospitals face immediate closure risk, with another 18 in a “next tier” of financial distress—totaling about 25 hospitals under serious threat. Maternal & Family Health: Virginia’s “Momnibus” bills were highlighted as a model for prioritizing pregnancy and family healthcare needs. Healthcare Worker Safety: Virginia signed new laws aimed at protecting patients and healthcare workers from violence in hospitals. Public Health Alert: The CDC is investigating a multistate listeria outbreak tied to recalled soft cheese from Clover Hill Dairy, with illnesses reported in Maryland, New York, and Virginia. NICU Abuse Case: A former NICU nurse, Erin Strotman, was sentenced to three years after pleading no contest to abusing nine premature babies at Henrico Doctors’ Hospital. Opioid Prevention in Schools: Arlington’s Nurse of the Year, Heather Williams, is credited with expanding naloxone access and overdose response training for students. Higher Ed Governance: Gov. Abigail Spanberger appointed 32 new members to Virginia college and university boards.

Rural Hospital Crunch: A new Virginia Joint Commission on Health Care report flags a critical financial situation for rural facilities, raising fears of more closures and life-or-death access gaps for services like heart care and childbirth. Tick-Borne Warning: Virginia health officials warn of a summer tick surge, with ER/urgent care tick-bite visits up sharply and prevention tips focused on yard maintenance and staying alert for Lyme and other tick illnesses. Measles Escalation: Measles cases keep climbing in Virginia—Buckingham County reports 69 cases and officials list public exposure sites, including Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital and Centra Southside Community Hospital. Hospital Water Restrictions: Fauquier County issued mandatory outdoor water limits due to drought and low groundwater, restricting irrigation, car washing, and many outdoor uses. Care Access & Staffing Strain: A $3.2 million rural hospital grant aims to help smaller hospitals avoid generic drug shortages by pooling purchasing power. School Safety Concern: Parents at Federal Street School in Greenfield are pressing for better security and communication after a faulty lock incident led to a shelter-in-place response. Public Health & Community: The week also includes coverage of near-death experience research interest among UVA physicians and ongoing attention to women’s mental health biology and PTSD risk.

Nursing Home Watch (Virginia Beach): CMS gave Maimonides Health Center of Virginia Beach a 2-star rating for Q1 2026, below Virginia’s 3.0 average, with four fines totaling $27,285 and four penalties reported. Nursing Home Watch (Norfolk): Signature Healthcare of Norfolk also earned a 2-star CMS rating for Q1 2026, again below the state average, though it reported no fines or penalties that quarter. Access & Care (U.Va. Health): U.Va. Health’s Board of Visitors advanced a $7 billion FY27 budget, including $4.3 billion for U.Va. Health, while an audit committee approved a two-year internal compliance and risk audit plan. Public Health (Measles): Virginia measles cases climbed again, with officials warning that declining vaccination rates are driving spread. Clinical Innovation (U.Va. Health): U.Va. Health opened a new clinic in Pantops to expand patient access to plastic surgery, and a separate U.Va. Health update highlighted new centralized care for facial paralysis patients. Community Health & Safety (Hurricane prep): VDACS urged Virginia farmers to secure livestock, stock supplies, and plan for power needs ahead of Atlantic hurricane season. Wellness & Nutrition (Epilepsy): A new explainer revisits why ketogenic diets can reduce seizures for drug-resistant epilepsy, while noting adherence challenges.

Rural Hospital Stability: Virginia’s rural health system is under fresh pressure as a state health commission draft flags 13 rural hospitals statewide as at immediate or at-risk of closure, including Carilion Giles Community Hospital and LewisGale Hospital Pulaski—prompting LewisGale to publicly insist Pulaski is “not closing.” Community Health Access: Tazewell County Public Library is partnering with Feeding Southwest Virginia to offer free grab-and-go summer meals for children, with families able to pick up 20 meals over five days. Sepsis Awareness: A Virginia Beach woman says her “stomach bug” turned out to be sepsis and toxic shock syndrome after an IUD removal and tampon use—she’s now pushing public awareness. Health Policy & Food Security: A federal judge halted New Jersey and other states’ SNAP restrictions tied to conditions over gender ideology, immigration, and women’s sports—keeping billions in food assistance on track. Local Pride & Care: Chesapeake’s Pride in the ‘Peake returns June 14 as a sober, family-friendly event with on-site resources including hospital support and free screenings.

Intimate Partner Violence Crisis: A new wave of reporting highlights how Black women face stark, deadly disparities in intimate partner homicide, with firearms often involved and repeated calls for help sometimes failing to stop tragedies. AI in Healthcare: Doctors say AI can increasingly match or beat clinicians on diagnosis, but the real challenge is management decisions—what to do next and how to weigh treatment tradeoffs. Nursing Home Watch: CMS data spotlight several Virginia for-profit nursing homes with low overall star ratings in Q1 2026, including Norview Heights (2 stars), Kempsville Health & Rehab (2), and Norfolk Health Care Center (1), raising questions about staffing, inspections, and resident care. Public Health & Policy: Virginia’s retail cannabis market remains stalled after Gov. Spanberger’s veto, while lawmakers continue negotiating a compromise aimed at regulation and enforcement. Higher Ed Governance: Gov. Spanberger announced appointments to Virginia’s higher education boards. U.Va. Health Update: U.Va. Health’s Board of Health System heard progress on expanding care and reviewed budgets, including FY27 planning and the Ehlers-Danlos center’s role. Measles & Vaccination Pressure: Coverage notes measles cases rising in Virginia and urges attention to declining vaccination rates.

Rural Hospital Watch: LewisGale Hospital Pulaski says it’s “not closing” after a Virginia Joint Commission on Health Care report flagged 13 rural hospitals statewide as at risk, including LewisGale Pulaski. Access & Care Expansion: U.Va. Health opened a new plastic surgery clinic in Pantops to make elective aesthetic care easier to reach for Central Virginia patients. Public Health Alert: Virginia reported a record measles count (77 cases as of June 2), with officials warning about travel-linked exposure risks. Medicaid Spending Signals: New local Medicaid billing figures show rising costs in multiple Virginia communities, including anesthesia in Reston (+290.8%), ambulance/transport in Chesapeake (+7.7%), and alcohol/drug treatment in Midlothian (+33.3%). Community Health & Safety: Police issued a critically missing adult alert for a Chesterfield woman with cognitive impairment, urging the public not to approach if found. Food Safety & Environment: Virginia’s Styrofoam ban expands July 1, requiring food vendors statewide to switch to alternatives. Caregiving & Brain Health: A “To Your Good Health” Q&A weighs gabapentin’s benefits for periodic limb movement against mixed dementia risk concerns. Emergency Response: Troopers rescued a tiny kitten from I-395 in Alexandria, and a tractor-trailer crash near Chatham sent two people to the hospital.

Rural Hospital Closures: A new Virginia Joint Commission on Health Care report warns 13 of 36 rural hospitals are at risk of closing, including Carilion Giles Community Hospital and Sentara Halifax Regional Hospital at immediate risk. Nursing Home Quality Watch: CMS data highlights wide gaps across Virginia facilities: Cypress Pointe Rehabilitation and Nursing in Virginia Beach earned a 1-star overall rating (with a fine and penalty), while Oak Grove Health & Rehab Center in Chesapeake matched the state average with a 3-star rating, and Windsormeade of Williamsburg in James City County earned 5 stars with no fines or penalties. Care Access & Transportation: A Henrico-based company filed to provide non-emergency medical transportation across much of Virginia, including Medicaid recipient transport statewide. Community Health Investment: UVA announced a $43.4 million gift to help launch an early childhood learning center in Charlottesville, aiming to pair education and developmental care with real-world training for UVA students. Policy & Public Health Pressure: Local healthcare workers in Charlottesville rallied against federal “Health Cuts,” arguing reductions to Medicaid, CDC work, USAID, and SNAP could harm access to care and increase deaths.

Public Health & Preparedness: Harrisonburg officials marked Hurricane Preparedness Week, stressing 3 days of food/water, prescription meds, hygiene needs, paperwork, and pet supplies, while also reviewing emergency response plans for inland flooding and high winds. Disaster Forecasting: A new Atlantic hurricane outlook from NOAA points to fewer storms overall, but responders warn that one major hit can still overwhelm communities—so prep shouldn’t wait. Infectious Disease Watch: U.S. measles cases topped 2,000 again, with most patients unvaccinated and many children/teens affected; Virginia is among areas seeing spread as vaccination rates dip. COVID-19 Prevention: FDA approved ensitrelvir (Xocova) as the first oral COVID-19 postexposure prophylaxis option for eligible adults and adolescents after exposure. Cancer Research: ASCO 2026 coverage highlights practice-shaping breast cancer data, including results from the VIKTORIA-1 trial using gedatolisib-based therapy. Healthcare Access & Safety: Virginia’s new laws aim to protect patients and healthcare workers from weapons in hospitals, strengthening enforcement of facility security policies. Community Health & Housing: Petersburg’s stalled Sycamore Grove development underscores ongoing food access gaps, with residents linking grocery availability to healthier outcomes. Environmental Health: Virginia-linked reporting also flags growing concern over microplastics in drinking water and the need for more monitoring.

Nursing Home Watch (Virginia): CMS Q1 2026 ownership and star ratings show a mixed picture across the state, with several facilities at or below the Virginia average—Williamsburg Post Acute & Rehabilitation (3 stars), Alexandria Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center (3), Lake Taylor Hospital (3, with one fine and one penalty), and Greenbrier Regional Medical Center (2). Quality & Accountability: Birchwood Park Rehabilitation in Virginia Beach fell to 1 star and reported a large fine ($131,178) plus a penalty, while Everyage’s Lake Prince Woods in Suffolk earned 5 stars. Public Health & Safety: A People’s Pharmacy column highlights alpha-gal allergy risk after tick bites, warning Virginians to take tick precautions as the condition spreads beyond familiar areas. Healthcare Workforce Protection (Virginia): New Virginia laws ban weapons in hospitals, strengthening security rules for patients and healthcare workers. Food Safety: A deadly Listeria outbreak tied to Clover Hill cheese triggered recalls and renewed attention on dairy safety. Mental Health Literacy: A UNC Pembroke student-led nonprofit is pushing earlier conversations and warning-sign education to improve mental health access for young people.

Hospital Safety Law: Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed new Virginia bills making it a crime to knowingly bring weapons into many healthcare facilities, including hospitals serving mental health and developmental services and emergency departments, giving legal force to existing security rules. Public Health Powers: A national report warns that post-COVID cuts and new limits on emergency declarations have weakened state and local outbreak response capacity, raising risks for future disease surges. Measles Watch: Virginia measles cases continue climbing past 70, with officials pointing to declining vaccination rates and urging community vigilance. Rabies Alert: Accomack County health officials confirmed a rabid raccoon in Hallwood, urging residents to keep pets away and report any possible contact. Data Center Health & Environment: DEQ issued air pollution violations tied to an Amazon data center in Spotsylvania, while local planning votes moved to block a proposed Clear Brook data center campus—both fueling ongoing concerns about impacts on communities. Care Access & Coverage: Kaiser Permanente named Emily Holliman president of its Mid-Atlantic region, overseeing care for hundreds of thousands of members across Virginia and nearby states. Community Health Event: The Michael J. Fox Foundation is hosting a Parkinson’s Run/Walk in the Pentagon City area this weekend, with road closures and family-friendly options.

Wearables & Sleep: An Arlington woman says her Oura ring contradicted how she felt, pushing her to stop wearing it—raising questions about over-monitoring and placebo effects. Public Health Alerts: Eastern Shore officials confirmed a rabid raccoon near Hallwood and urged residents and pet owners to avoid contact and call if exposure is possible. Water Safety: Central Shenandoah Health District shared summer drowning-prevention tips, including active supervision, life jackets, and CPR readiness. Nutrition & Food Access: Brunswick County Schools plans free summer meals for kids, with both eat-in sites and grab-and-go boxes. Caregiving & Family Support: A new documentary highlights how paid leave can stabilize families after major medical crises like preterm birth. Long-Term Care Watch: CMS data spotlighted nursing home performance across Virginia counties and cities, with some facilities earning higher ratings while others reported fines and penalties. Road Safety: Virginia State Police investigated a fatal Bedford County crash tied to speeding and felony eluding charges. Health & Research in Virginia: An international exercise science conference convened in Roanoke, underscoring growing momentum in exercise medicine research.

Public Health & Safety: HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urged measles vaccination at a Hanover press event as Virginia reports 77 cases this year, with more than 80% among unvaccinated people and many tied to Buckingham County. Healthcare Workforce & Access: Kaiser Permanente named Emily Holliman president of its Mid-Atlantic region, overseeing care for more than 750,000 members across Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. Local Care Leadership: Ballad Health announced leadership transitions across Southwest Virginia and Kingsport, including new chief nursing and chief medical officers to strengthen clinical collaboration. Medical Innovation in Virginia: Charlottesville’s Icarus Medical won CBIC’s 2026 Startup of the Year for orthopedic bracing tech; Granules Pharmaceuticals in Chantilly received an FDA EIR/VAI classification after a March–April inspection. Community Health Programs: YMCA of the Chesapeake reported reaching 600+ children and families with water safety education during National Water Safety Month. Health-Adjacent Policy: CMS ended a Biden-era kidney transplant approach that required race-based considerations, with the new framework emphasizing objective medical criteria.

Paid Leave Win: Virginia became the first Southern state to offer paid family and medical leave, with up to 12 weeks of benefits starting in 2028 and job protection for workers. School Phone Rules: More states are moving toward cellphone bans in schools, but new research finds limited proof that bans deliver the benefits supporters claim. Nursing Home Snapshot (Q1 2026): CMS data highlights big gaps across Virginia facilities, from top-rated homes like Mulberry Creek Nursing & Rehab (5 stars) to low performers such as Alleghany Health & Rehab (1 star) and Chesapeake Health & Rehab (1 star). Care at Home: Aging in place is driving rising demand for Virginia caregivers, with Medicaid-supported home health playing a key role for dialysis patients and others. Public Health Watch: Federal authorities reopened a salmonella investigation tied to imported moringa “super greens” after additional illnesses were reported. Corrections Oversight: A new review finds Virginia’s autopsy requirement after in-custody deaths is not consistently being completed.