The American Heart Association, Greater Washington Region continues to support policies that improve the heart health and safety of our neighbors. In the last year, D.C. passed legislation requiring cardiac emergency response plans in all schools. Starting in September 2025, all schools will be prepared to save lives and respond to cardiac emergencies in school buildings and sports fields. The Heart Association also helped to protect the district’s paid family leave program, so residents can take time away from work to care for themselves or a loved one during illness or recovery. We supported funding increases to support youth tobacco education and to expand healthy food access across the region.
However, health gaps remain. Nearly 48 percent of people living in the region are faced with low access to healthy food, more than 28 percent have high blood pressure and 11 percent of Greater Washingtonians regularly use tobacco.
We envision a future where communities everywhere are tobacco free, have the information and access they need to make healthy food choices, are guaranteed the health care coverage they need and continue to be equipped to respond to cardiac emergencies.
“The Greater Washington Region has made great progress in advancing heart health policies, including tobacco control, nutrition security and cardiac emergency readiness,” said Yolandra Hancock, M.D., MPH, community physician, pediatrician and chair of the advocacy and partnerships committee for the board of directors of the American Heart Association, Greater Washington Region. “With our focus on decreasing tobacco use, improving access to healthy foods for students and families, protecting health care coverage and continuing CPR training in schools, we aim to make the region safer and healthier for all our neighbors.”
Building on over a century of impact and driving toward our vision of health and hope for everyone everywhere, our Greater Washington policy priorities for the next year include:
- Working in Montgomery County, MD to add menu warning labels on items with high sodium content at chain restaurants.
- Restricting new tobacco and vape shops from opening near schools in Northern Virginia.
- Ensuring all students in D.C. are guaranteed healthy school meals, regardless of their ability to pay.
- Expanding programs to increase access to fruits and vegetables across the region – using healthy food as a driver for total wellbeing.
- Maintaining Medicaid and health care access for those who need it in D.C.
- Securing funding for up-to-date kits needed to train high schoolers across the region in CPR before they graduate.
- Increasing the D.C. tobacco tax by at least $1 per pack to continue reducing smoking rates and illness.
We look forward to working with residents, survivors, advocates and lawmakers across D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia in the coming year to highlight these strategies and come together around solutions. This work isn’t possible without the dedication of our volunteers! If you’re a DMV resident passionate about advancing the health and wellbeing of our neighbors, sign up here to learn more and get involved!