Lord Fairfax Health District presents community health assessment, explains JLARC match change

Tara Blackley, health director for the Lord Fairfax Health District, and colleagues presented the district's first published Community Health Assessment and annual report, materials the district said will guide a community health improvement plan and program priorities for Shenandoah County.

The presentation summarized data collection (about 2,572 community surveys collected since April 2024), described primary and secondary data sources and highlighted local priorities such as WIC resumption, environmental health and emergency preparedness. The district said it will publish the longer assessment online and make the annual report available to the county.

District staff said the FY27 local contribution requested in the presentation is about $309,770.71 but emphasized that JLARC (the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission) updates to the local‑match formula altered the county's percentage responsibility. Leanne (district staff) explained that Shenandoah County’s local share percentage was adjusted and that, while the board can set its own appropriation, reducing the county match could reduce state funding for district services.

Supervisors asked for plain‑language explanations of the JLARC calculation and for more detailed local data; the district offered to return quarterly with more granular information and to bring environmental health staff for technical questions. No vote was taken; the district requested that supervisors review the assessment materials and consider the local contribution in upcoming budget decisions.