Aetna’s Guardian Angel opioids program reaching members at critical time
Health care should be personal, and it should help us during our most vulnerable, difficult times. There are few instances when this type of support is more necessary than when people end up in the emergency room because of a problem they can’t control any more. Unfortunately, we are seeing this scene play out more […]
GRAYSON COUNTY REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
Broadband Network Project Grayson County, Virginia (“County”) seeks a qualified private partner (“Vendor”) to construct, deploy, maintain, own and operate a “fee-for-service” broadband network to provide Internet Service to underserved areas throughout the County with the goal to serve as many as possible of the more than 5,222 unserved/underserved homes and businesses. Grayson County, through […]
The Homestead 2018 Annual Conference Message
Valued Homestead Guest, We look forward to welcoming you back to The Homestead for the annual VACo conference! To ensure a smooth and efficient arrival and departure for you, we would like to confirm a few details of your reservation. A. Cancellations and changes need to be made prior to November 1 to avoid cancellation […]
Welcome to Craig County’s Barn Quilt Trail
Since 2014, Barn Quilt squares have been added to buildings around Craig County. The money raised by the sale of the Barn Quilts helps raise money for the Craig County Public Library. If you would like more information or are interested in having a Barn Quilt Square for your property, visit https://www.barnquiltsforbooks.com/. Also check out […]
Upcoming broadband conference focuses on increasing internet access
On October 30, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s BroadbandUSA Program, in partnership with Virginia’s Center for Innovative Technology, will host the Virginia Broadband Summit in Roanoke at the South County Library. The purpose of the Summit is to engage the public and stakeholders with information to accelerate broadband connectivity, improve digital inclusion, and support […]
Local Support of Behavioral Health System Under Discussion; Mental Health Standards in Jails Contemplated
The Joint Subcommittee to Study Mental Health Services in the Commonwealth in the 21st Century has met several times over the spring and summer, and its System Structure and Finance Subcommittee continues to examine local support for Community Services Boards (CSBs). Dr. Richard Bonnie of the University of Virginia’s Institute of Law, Psychiatry, and Public […]
2018 Presidential Initiative: Healthy Virginia Counties in Action – Spotlight on Early Childhood Part 2
Earlier this month we marked the traditional “back to school” milestone of the day after Labor Day by examining some of the science documenting the importance of early childhood experiences to long-term health outcomes, as well as the economic returns on investments in high-quality early childhood programs. Counties have long recognized the importance of giving […]
VACo County Pulse Podcast – Utility-Scale Solar Energy
Link to the Utility-Scale Solar Energy Podcast Utility-scale solar energy (USSE) projects are growing in size and number across the Commonwealth. Unlike a traditional electric generating facility, they are land intensive. One Megawatt (MW) of generation capacity typically requires the siting of solar panels on 8 to 12 acres of land. The result is larger […]
The Commonwealth Transportation Board announces record number of Smart Scale applications
The following is a joint press release from the Virginia Department of Transportation and the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) recently announced that the data-driven SMART SCALE project prioritization process reached new benchmarks as localities and planning organizations submitted the highest number of applications to date. Statewide, 468 […]
Several CSA Studies Underway
Several efforts to examine and improve aspects of the Children’s Services Act (CSA) are currently underway, both as a result of General Assembly direction and State Executive Council action. Private special education day placements: Language included in the 2017 Appropriations Act charged money committee staff with identifying ways to improve the management of quality and […]
Virginia’s Water Towers – Caroline County
For the next several issues – VACo will publish photos of water towers from across the Commonwealth. If you have a water tower in your community – please email a photo to gharter@vaco.org A water tower is an incredibly simple device. Although water towers come in all shapes and sizes, they all do the same […]
Governor Ralph Northam to speak at VACo Annual Conference
House Select Committee on School Safety Considers Potential Recommendations
The House Select Committee on School Safety reviewed an extensive list of potential recommendations from its three subcommittees on September 11 and agreed to work on further development of the proposals in advance of a final meeting in November. The subcommittees collectively proposed 58 recommendations (several of which were items proposed by more than one […]
Financial Facts
Under proposed regulations issued by the IRS, transfers to a state agency or charitable organization in lieu of paying state and local taxes would be deductible as a charitable contribution only to the extent that the taxpayer making the donation did not receive a quid pro quo. Contributions that result in a state or local […]
State General Fund Collections Continue Growth in August
Governor Northam announced on September 12 that state General Fund (GF) revenue collections increased 4.5 percent in August relative to August 2017. Individual income tax payroll withholding, a mainstay of GF revenues, grew 5.1 percent in August. On a fiscal-year-to-date basis, payroll withholding collections are flat relative to the same time period the year before, […]
Virginia Medicaid Expansion Q&A by Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services
Who will be covered under the new eligibility rules for Virginia Medicaid? Beginning January 1, 2019, Virginia adults are eligible for coverage if they are between the ages of 19 to 64, meet income requirements and are not eligible for Medicare. Under the new guidelines, a single adult making at or below $16,750 annually may […]