WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — The Hampton & Peninsula Health Districts has a lot to teach inmates at the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail about health. The HPHD is partnering with the jail to offer a health literacy class to inmates.
“Some of the topics that we cover are insurance, navigating insurance, doctor’s appointments," HPHD Population Health Coordinator Samantha Schaefer said.
The program is part of a larger program offering various services to inmates.
Melissa Trinidad-Tyler was formerly incarcerated at the jail and took advantage of some of those services.
“The jail programming here is what got me where I am today," said Trinidad-Tyler.
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She now teaches a class to inmates at the jail and believes the services can help them as much as they helped her.
“A lot of times, I feel like what happens is we get incarcerated but we don’t learn anything different, right? So, then, we get back out and we do the same thing because you have to know better to do better," Trinidad Tyler explained.
The health literacy program started in summer 2025 as a test in response to a survey HPHD did, asking our neighbors who live in the district what they want. One request was more help for people who are incarcerated.
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“We instantly thought of VPRJ and they were really into the idea of us bringing health literacy into the jails," said Schafer.
“If we can keep our inmate population busy, there’s less chance of this individuals getting in trouble," VPRJ Support Services Director Maj. Robert Nester said.
Because the test was successful, the program is being publicized and will continue to be offered to inmates.
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“We’re here for them," Nester said.
A service they could, like Trinidad-Tyler, one day offer themselves.
