The Mayor's office administration staff began in 2009, tackling
disparities and improving health outcomes for Richmond citizens
were paramount. To that end, there were several Commissions and
Task Forces created to research and study issues ranging from
encouraging breastfeeding in underserved communities to
developing bike trails for residents. The following Commissions and
Task Forces were under the purview of the Office of the Deputy
Chief Administrator of Human Services. Provided is a brief
description of all and links to the final reports generated by each.
- Mayor’s Anti-Poverty Commission
The Mayor's office established the Anti-Poverty Commission to provide his Administration
with recommendations that have demonstrable results aimed at reducing poverty. The
Commission comprised of community advocates, academics, community leaders, members
of the business sector, and other stakeholders was charged with identifying strategies
consistent with making Richmond a Tier One City, and drafting a report detailing its
recommendations within twelve months of its establishment.
As a result of the Mayor's Anti-Poverty Commission, The Mayor's Office of Community
Wealth Building was officially launched on June 2, 2014, to coordinate the Mayor's poverty
reduction and wealth building plan.
The final report of the Mayor's Anti-Poverty Commission Report. (2.5 MB)
- Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Health Policy
The Mayor's Office established the Blue Ribbon Commission on Health in January 2010 because of
concerns about the disparity in health outcomes across Richmond. The Commission was
comprised of a distinguished group of health experts including physicians, academicians,
hospital executives, community clinic providers, and mental health providers. The
Commission worked together from March 2010 through August 2010. The Commission
presented its findings to the Mayor in November of 2010.
As a result of the Blue Ribbon Commission on Health, The Mayor's Healthy Richmond Campaign
was officially launched in 2010, to coordinate the activities, programs, and health fairs to
aid in the reduction of negative health outcomes in Richmond city.
The final report of the Mayor's Blue Ribbon Commission Report. (2.7 MB)
- Mayor’s Breastfeeding Commission
The Mayor's Breastfeeding Commission was constituted in July 2011 and was charged with
advising the Mayor's administration on increasing the number of women breastfeeding,
paticularly among underserved and fragile women in Richmond where participation is well
below the state average.
From 2011 through 2012, the Breastfeeding Commission came together to target improved
breastfeeding rates as a viable strategy to address public health, educational and social issues.
The final report of the Mayor's Breastfeeding Commission Report. (4.2 MB)
- Mayor’s Pedestrian, Bicycling, and Trails Commission
On May 21, 2010, the Mayor's office established the Mayor’s Pedestrian, Bicycling, and
Trails Planning Commission to explore walking and bicycling as viable methods of
transportation in the City of Richmond. The Mayor's office indicated in the enabling document,
that he believed that the City of Richmond could, “support pedestrian and bicycle travel by
becoming a community where walking and bicycling are integral parts of the transportation
system.”
The commission completed it's findings in November, 2010. The planning and
implementation of the recommendations are now undertaken by the Department of Public Works
BikePed program office.
The final report of the Mayor's Pedestrian, Bicycling, and Trails Commission Report. (14.9 MB)
- Mayor's Food Policy Task Force
The Mayor’s The Food Policy Council was charged with reviewing existing assessment data from
the Virginia Food Policy System Explorer on the availability of quality, fresh and affordable
food, particularly in lower income neighborhoods; producing and disseminating a City of
Richmond Food System Report that assesses the state of the City’s food system, including
activities in production, distribution, consumption, marketing, nutrition and food assistance
program participation and innovative food system programs; and drafting a Richmond City
Food System Plan to include recommendations for the promotion of innovations in land
use, economic development, and health policy to include:
a) Removing barriers that limit access to quality, healthy and fresh foods;
b) Increasing the use of farm to school and farm to consumer programs;
c) Expanding the development of local food-based businesses including farmers markets;
d) Expanding urban agricultural production of locally-grown and organically-grown foods to include school and community gardens;
e) Enhancing food security of city residents.
The final report of the Mayor's Food Policy Task Force Report.
(10.3 MB)
- Mayor's Healthy Richmond Campaign
Evolving after the Mayor's Blue Ribbon Commission on Health
Policy completed it's findings, the Mayor was charged with
resolving concerns about the disparity in health outcomes
across the Richmond community. Developed were several
"Get Healthy, Stay Healthy" initiative programs, implemented
between 2011 thru 2015.
Working thru the Richmond Health District in 2014 and adopted
by a city resolution was the
Health in All Policies (HiAP)
approach, an emerging
trend in government at the local, state, and national levels,
where-in all agencies come together to leverage their
resources and experience to address the complex factors
that influence population health, equity, and quality of life,
also known as the social determinants of health.
The adopted 2015 resolution
2014-R262-2015-7.
for Health in All Policies (HiAP). (124 KB)
