Our History

2006​

​

• Political, educational, and health care leaders in far Southwest Virginia began meeting to explore ways to improve population health in the region. These discussions led to the Virginia General Assembly creating the Southwest Virginia Health Facilities Authority (SWVHFA). 

​

• Around the same time, the Wise County dental clinic project was launched in collaboration with Virginia Commonwealth University. Additionally, UVA-Wise, in partnership with the Graduate Medical Education Consortium (GMEC) on its campus, secured funds from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) for the Healthy Appalachia project.​

  • The initial ARC project had two main objectives:

    1. ​Assessing the region’s population health, health care systems, and resources.

    2. Developing a strategic plan to improve health outcomes in Appalachian Virginia, utilizing the assessment data and input from various stakeholders: institutions, groups, agencies, and individuals.​​​

​

• The Division of Public Health Policy and Practice in the Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of Virginia School of Medicine became consultants on this project. Simultaneously, the work of the Southwest Virginia Health Facilities Authority (SWVHFA) dovetailed with Healthy Appalachia's efforts. Subsequently, the SWVHFA established a formal strategic partnership with the Healthy Appalachia Institute, with HAI serving as a primary source of data collection and analysis, resource development, and idea generation. ​

​

​2008​

​

• The Healthy Appalachia Institute (HAI) was formally named by The University of Virginia’s College at Wise Board.

​ 

• During the same year, under the leadership of Healthy Appalachia and the SWVHFA, regional leaders collaborated on data gathering, SWOT analysis, goal-setting, and strategic planning. This effort led to the adoption of the Blueprint for Health Improvement and Health-Enabled Prosperity on May 13, 2009, marking an unprecedented level of participation and enthusiasm across the region. 

​

• An early priority identified through the Healthy Appalachia/Health Authority planning process was reducing cancer mortality through improved screening and care. 

​

• The University of Virginia Cancer Center, a National Cancer Institute Designated Cancer Center, received a one million dollar grant from the Virginia Tobacco Commission to support Healthy Appalachia Works.

  • This initiative included: 

    • Breast cancer screening 

    • Tumor board support for regional cancer centers 

    • Expansion of the UVA Telemedicine network 

    • Professional development for health care professionals in the region​​

​

2009​

​

• The Southwest Virginia Health Facilities Authority (SWVHFA) was renamed the Southwest Virginia Health Authority (SVHA).  

​

• The Healthy Appalachia Institute was designated an Emerging Institute within the National Network of Public Health Institutes, under the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s auspices. ​

​

2024​

​

• The Healthy Appalachia Institute continues to expand its programs and services. The University of Virginia cites this project as a primary avenue for its health care outreach to Southwest Virginia and reports its success as part of the University’s commitment under Virginia’s higher education management restructuring legislation. ​​