Tag: hepatitis b

Mount Rogers Health District Launches Mobile Units to Expand Health Services

July 1, 2025
Media Contact: Brianne Kilbourne, Mount Rogers Health District 276-781-7450

Mount Rogers Health District Launches Mobile Units to Expand Health Services

MARION, Va. — Local officials, health professionals, and community partners recently gathered at Marion Senior High School to celebrate the official ribbon cutting of two new mobile health units that will bring essential services directly to communities across all eight localities of the Mount Rogers Health District.

The two mobile units were funded through a multi-year grant from the Opioid Abatement Authority (OAA) and represent a collaboration between all eight localities in the district as well as the Mount Rogers and Highlands Community Services Boards. The partnership to obtain the motorized vehicles mark a major step in addressing the region’s ongoing challenges related to substance use, behavioral health, and access to care.

“These units enable us to meet people where they are, especially in areas where transportation, stigma, or scheduling conflicts have made it difficult for individuals to access traditional clinic services,” said Dr. Meagan Helmick, Health Director for the Mount Rogers Health District.

Each mobile unit will be jointly staffed by the Mount Rogers Health District and Community Services Board personnel and will provide a wide range of services, including:

  • HIV, hepatitis A, B, and C, and STI testing
  • Harm reduction services (naloxone distribution and fentanyl/xylazine test strips)
  • Immunizations
  • Hepatitis C treatment
  • Mental health and substance use counseling
  • Psychiatric medication management
  • Referrals and wraparound case management

The region served by the Mount Rogers Health District has long faced elevated rates of substance use disorder, hepatitis C, poverty, and overdose burden compared to the rest of the state. In 2021 alone, the eight localities represented had a combined economic burden from opioids of nearly $96 million. The mobile units reflect a data-driven, community-informed response that emphasizes prevention, education, and connection to care.

Since the recent launch, health officials continue to refine operations as they learn during each stop. The program aims to be both responsive and sustainable, with services billed through existing clinical systems and continued pursuit of additional grant opportunities.

“This is just the beginning,” said Dr. Helmick. “We are deeply hopeful about what this can mean for individuals and families across our region.”

To learn more about the mobile units, including the staff and schedule for each, visit www.MRHD.org and click on “Integrative Health Servies-Mobile Unit.”

Central Shenandoah Health District to Host Free Monthly STI Test & Go Clinics

Posted on by lindascarborough

May 22, 2025
Media Contact: Rachel Dumene, rachel.dumene1@vdh.virginia.gov, 540-480-4998

Central Shenandoah Health District to Host Free Monthly STI Test & Go Clinics

LEXINGTON, Va. – The Central Shenandoah Health District (CSHD) is announcing new free monthly Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) testing in the Lexington/Buena Vista area starting this May. These pop-up clinics are being offered in partnership with the Rockbridge Recovery Group Center (RRGC) in Buena Vista and Rockbridge Area Community Services (RACS) in Lexington.

These Test & Go clinics are intended to provide convenient access to healthcare within our community and are available to the public. CSHD’s newly refurbished mobile unit will be used to provide STI testing free of cost to participants. No insurance, identification, or payment is required. These clinics will be offered on a first-come first-served basis with no appointment needed.

The clinic will offer testing for HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, & Syphilis. Patients who need treatment will be connected to healthcare providers for follow up care.

“Test & Go clinics are a great resource for any individual who is sexually active and needs access to STI testing,” says Allison Baroco MD, infectious diseases physician and interim health director for the Central Shenandoah Health District. “Rates of STIs have increased significantly in the past several years in Virginia and nationally, so it is more important than ever to know your status. Those with positive test results will be connected to counseling on treatment.”

The clinic schedule is listed below:

  • May 30, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm, at Rockbridge Area Community Services, 241 Greenhouse Rd., Lexington, VA 24450
  • June 18, 3:30 – 5:30 pm, at the Rockbridge Recovery Group Center, at 119 E. 28th St., Buena Vista, VA 24416.
  • Every third Thursday of the month beginning in July, 3:30 – 5:30 pm, at the Rockbridge Recovery Group Center, at 119 E. 28th St., Buena Vista, VA 24416.

Routine STI testing and treatment is available at the Harrisonburg, Staunton, and Waynesboro Health Department locations. Appointments for routine testing and treatment are required. Call your local health department to make an appointment.

More information about Test & Go clinics and routine STI testing and treatment can be found on the Central Shenandoah Health District website at https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/central-shenandoah/health-services/sexually-transmitted-infections/.

For more information, you may call (540) 463-3185, or email cshdinfo@vdh.virginia.gov. For the latest schedule, check out our Facebook page @CentralShenandoahHealthDistrict.

RHHD Encourages Testing for Hepatitis

May 19, 2025
Media Contact: Bryan Hooten, 804-807-1727, bryan.hooten@vdh.virginia.gov

 RHHD Encourages Testing for Hepatitis
Hepatitis Testing Day is May 19

RICHMOND, Va. —Richmond and Henrico Health Districts (RHHD) encourage community members to get tested for hepatitis. All adults 18 years and older should be screened for hepatitis B and C at least once in their lifetime. Pregnant people should get tested during each pregnancy. Hepatitis Testing Day is May 19.

Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver, a vital organ that processes nutrients, filters the blood, and fights infections. Heavy alcohol use, toxins, some medications, and certain medical conditions can affect liver function and can cause hepatitis. However, hepatitis is often caused by a virus. In the U.S., the most common types of viral hepatitis are hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C.

“For many people, getting tested is the only way to know you have hepatitis B or C – diseases that can have serious consequences for your overall health and can spread to those close to you,” said Richmond and Henrico Health Districts Deputy Director Melissa Viray, M.D. “The good news is that we have safe and effective vaccines and/or treatments for the most commonly seen types of viral hepatitis.”

Symptoms of all types of viral hepatitis are similar and can include one or more of the following:

  • Dark urine or clay-colored stools
  • Diarrhea (hepatitis A only)
  • Feeling tired
  • Fever
  • Joint pain
  • Loss of appetite
  • Nausea, stomach pain, throwing up
  • Yellow skin or eyes (jaundice)

Symptoms of chronic viral hepatitis can take decades to develop.

Individuals can reduce their risk of getting sick by taking the following precautions:

  • Get tested – all adults 18 years and older should be screened for hepatitis B and C at least once in their lifetime. Pregnant people should get tested during each pregnancy.
  • Avoid sharing or reusing needles, syringes or any other equipment used to prepare and inject drugs, steroids, hormones, or other substances.
  • Avoid using personal items that may have come into contact with an infected person’s blood, even in amounts too small to see, such as glucose monitors, razors, nail clippers, or toothbrushes.
  • Avoid getting tattoos or body piercings from an unlicensed facility or in an informal setting.

Individuals can receive vaccines for hepatitis A and B and can be screened for hepatitis B or C at their health care provider or at any of RHHD’s clinic locations. For more information about RHHD clinical services and to schedule an appointment, call 804-205-3500. Individuals can also find a testing site at the following link: CDC testing site locator. People who haven’t yet been screened for viral hepatitis or who are at additional risk for contracting the Hepatitis B or C should consult a medical provider about testing options.

Many people who become infected with hepatitis B or C do not experience symptoms and are unaware that they have the virus. CDC advises that for hepatitis C there are oral medications (pills) available called direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) that are easy to take, have very few side effects, and cure more than 95% of people in just 8–12 weeks.

Viral hepatitis can spread from a birthing parent to the infant. Infants born with a Hepatitis B infection have a 90% chance of developing a chronic version of the disease. If a pregnant person tests positive for Hepatitis B, their medical team can prepare to reduce the chance of the virus passing to the baby.

According to VDH data on communicable diseases, hepatitis C and B are in the top five most reported conditions in Virginia (excluding COVID-19) over the last five years. In Virginia, students are required to complete the hepatitis A and the hepatitis B vaccination series as part of routine school immunizations. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C.

For more health and safety information, visit rhhd.gov and sign up for RHHD’s monthly newsletter at rhhd.gov/news.

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Central Shenandoah Health District Announces Continued Walk-In STI Testing Clinics

May 23, 2024
Media Contact: Rachel Dumene, Rachel.dumene1@vdh.virginia.gov, 540-480-4998

Central Shenandoah Health District (CSHD) Announces Continued Walk-In STI Testing at the Harrisonburg Rockingham Health Department

STAUNTON, Va. — After multiple successful STI Test & Go Clinics hosted by Central Shenandoah Health District this spring, CSHD is going to be continuing these Test & Go Clinics throughout the summer of 2024.

Beginning June 18, the Central Shenandoah Health District will offer Test & Go clinics at the Harrisonburg Rockingham Health Department every third Tuesday of the month and are currently scheduled through to August of 2024. Test & Go clinics offer after-hours walk-in testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) once a month. Individuals can receive free testing for gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, hepatitis C, hepatitis B, and HIV at these clinics. Testing is available to everyone at no cost. Patients can expect to be in and out of the clinic in 15 minutes or less.

Dates and times for the Harrisonburg Rockingham Health Department Test & Go Clinics are below:

  • June 18, 4:30 – 6 p.m.
  • July 16, 4:30 – 6 p.m.
  • August 20, 4:30 – 6 p.m.

Walk-in appointments are available on a first-come-first-served basis. The earlier the arrival, the better the chance a patient will secure a testing spot. Patients will be accepted until 6 p.m. or until 10 testing spots are taken, whichever comes first. Individuals are encouraged to arrive by 5:30 p.m. to secure a testing spot.  Individuals who receive a positive test result will be contacted by health department staff to get connected to treatment options.

“The Harrisonburg Rockingham Health Department Test & Go clinics are a great resource for any individual who is sexually active and needs access to Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) testing,” says Allison Baroco MD, infectious diseases physician and health director for the Central Shenandoah Health District. “Rates of STIs have increased significantly in the past several years in Virginia and nationally, so it is more important than ever to know your status. Those with positive test results will be provided counseling on treatment and our professionals can assist with scheduling this treatment at your local health department in a confidential setting.”

Routine STI testing and treatment is available at the Harrisonburg, Staunton, and Waynesboro Health Department locations. Appointments for routine testing and treatment are required. Call your local health department to make an appointment.

More information about Test & Go clinics and routine STI testing and treatment can be found on the Central Shenandoah Health District website at https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/central-shenandoah/health-services/sexually-transmitted-infections/.

Central Shenandoah Health District Announces New Walk-In STI Testing at the Harrisonburg Rockingham Health Department

February 14, 2024
Media Contact: Linda Scarborough, Western Region PIO
linda.scarborough@vdh.virginia.gov

Central Shenandoah Health District Announces New Walk-In STI Testing at the Harrisonburg Rockingham Health Department

(Staunton, Va.) — Beginning February 20, the Central Shenandoah Health District will offer Test & Go clinics at the Harrisonburg Rockingham Health Department every third Tuesday of the month. Test & Go clinics offer after-hours walk-in testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) once a month. Individuals can receive free testing for gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, hepatitis C, hepatitis B, and HIV at these clinics. Testing is available to everyone at no cost. Patients can expect to be in and out of the clinic in 15 minutes or less.

Dates and times for the Harrisonburg Rockingham Health Department Test & Go Clinics are below:

  • February 20, 4:30 – 6 p.m.
  • March 19, 4:30 – 6 p.m.
  • April 16, 4:30 – 6 p.m.
  • May 21, 4:30 – 6 p.m.

Walk-in appointments are available on a first-come-first-served basis. The earlier the arrival, the better the chance a patient will secure a testing spot. Patients will be accepted until 6 p.m. or until 10 testing spots are taken, whichever comes first. Individuals are encouraged to arrive by 5:30 p.m. to secure a testing spot. Individuals who receive a positive test result will be contacted by health department staff to get connected to treatment options.

“The Harrisonburg Rockingham Health Department Test & Go clinics are a great resource for any individual who is sexually active and needs access to STI testing,” says Elaine Perry, acting health director for the Central Shenandoah Health District. “Rates of STIs have increased significantly in the past several years in Virginia and nationally, so it is more important than ever to know your status.” It is recommended that anyone who has been exposed to an STI or has symptoms seek STI testing.

Routine STI testing and treatment is available at the Harrisonburg, Staunton, and Waynesboro Health Department locations. Appointments for routine testing and treatment are required. Call your local health department to make an appointment.

More information about Test & Go clinics and routine STI testing and treatment can be found on the Central Shenandoah Health District website at https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/central-shenandoah/health-services/sexually-transmitted-infections/.