Alexandria Health Department’s 2025 Report Shows Resilience Amid Funding Cuts, Measles Threats, and Community Strain

ALEXANDRIA, VA —The Alexandria Health Department (AHD) has released its 2025 Annual Report, a 17-page snapshot of a year marked by disruption, uncertainty, and extraordinary public health demand — and by a workforce that continued to deliver critical services despite mounting challenges.

The report documents how AHD navigated sudden funding cuts, staff losses, disease threats, and heightened anxiety across Alexandria’s communities, while still maintaining core services that touch nearly every resident’s life. In 2025 alone, the department provided more than 8,000 clinical services, administered 6,300 vaccines, investigated over 400 disease cases or outbreaks, processed 14,000 vital records, and completed 1,600 food safety inspections across the city.

“This was an intensely challenging year for our department,” said AHD Health Director Dr. David Rose in his annual letter. “Our public health landscape transformed as we suddenly lost pandemic preparedness grant funding and saw changes in federal health leadership.”

A Year of Pressure — and Purpose

According to the report, AHD staff faced not only professional upheaval, but emotional strain as well. The department lost team members, watched public health institutions nationwide destabilize, and responded to growing fears within Alexandria’s immigrant communities. At the same time, staff monitored measles outbreaks spreading across the country — a disease long considered under control.

“We battled anxiety about the safety of our immigrant communities,” Rose wrote. “We held our breaths as we watched measles cases break out across the country.”

Yet, even amid uncertainty, AHD continued its work — often behind the scenes — to protect Alexandria’s health.

“In every challenge,” Rose added, “we worked tirelessly to understand public health impacts while managing emotions — not just as professionals, but as people.”

Clinics, Schools, and Community Care

The report highlights how AHD expanded and adapted clinical services throughout the city. In 2025, more than 3,000 clients received care at AHD clinics or through outreach efforts at the Del Pepper Community Resource Center, Teen Wellness Centers located at Alexandria City High School campuses, and community-based locations.

Services included tuberculosis treatment, STI testing and treatment, birth control counseling, cervical cancer screenings, and immunizations.

Among the year’s most notable initiatives:

• In-School Sports Physicals: AHD piloted a program offering free physicals at all four Alexandria City Public Schools middle schools, removing a common barrier for students hoping to participate in sports.

• Free Emergency Contraception: The department made Plan B available at its main office without appointments and distributed supplies at community events to connect residents with care.

• Expanded Immunization Clinics: By shifting back-to-school vaccine clinics to weekday evenings, AHD nearly quadrupled participation compared to the previous year.

The department also completed Alexandria’s newest Community Health Assessment and continued work on the Community Health Improvement Plan, building on broader citywide health data previously shared with residents.

Protecting Homes, Businesses, and Public Spaces

Beyond clinics, AHD played a central role in keeping Alexandria’s shared spaces safe. The department co-leads the City’s Healthy Homes Network and helped release the Healthy Homes Action Plan, aimed at addressing mold, housing hazards, and reporting barriers for residents.

In partnership with Alex311, AHD also worked to simplify how tenants and homeowners report housing concerns — a move designed to improve response times and accountability. The work aligns with earlier Zebra coverage examining Alexandria’s Healthy Homes Initiative and its impact on residents.

Food safety and environmental health remained a major focus. Inspectors completed over 1,600 inspections, issued 70 new permits, and supported restaurants, pools, and public venues citywide. AHD also joined a multi-agency pilot program intended to help unpermitted street vendors achieve compliance through education rather than enforcement.

While the pilot did not meet its intended outcomes, the report notes it strengthened collaboration across city agencies and laid groundwork for future efforts.

Prepared for What Comes Next

Despite the year’s setbacks, AHD advanced emergency preparedness initiatives, including targeted measles response planning. That work earned the department the Project Public Health Ready Award, recognizing excellence in preparedness and response capacity.

The department also secured funding for a full-time informaticist — a key step toward modernizing data systems and improving service delivery in the years ahead.

“I’m proud to share that even in a challenging year, we accomplished incredible things together,” Rose said. “This year challenged our AHD staff to support each other and to be a source of strength, information, and service to our communities.”

As Alexandria continues to navigate shifting public health realities, the 2025 Annual Report offers a clear message: even under pressure, the city’s health infrastructure held — and adapted — because people showed up.