April 21, 2022- Richmond and Henrico Health Districts (RHHD) invite Richmond residents with personal or professional experience with systemic racism and the root causes of health disparities in Richmond to apply to the Health Equity Fund Community Advisory Committee (HEF CAC). The HEF CAC will assist RHHD in identifying innovative, community-led projects that address health disparities to fund. This is a paid opportunity.
Last Fall, Mayor Levar Stoney proposed and Richmond City Council voted to start the Health Equity Fund with an initial investment of $5 million from federal American Rescue Plan Act funds. RHHD provides administrative oversight for all aspects of fund stewardship, award allocation, and grant management. Priority areas include COVID-19, mental or behavioral health, food access, substance use, healthcare access, maternal or infant health, in addition to other areas where data indicates a disparity in outcomes for Richmond populations.
“We really want to incorporate personal experience into the decision making… whether that’s having had a severe COVID-19 illness in the family, difficulties affording food for your household, experiencing a substance use issue, or other health challenges,” explains Hannah Quigley, Food Access Specialist at RHHD. “The lived experience is essential to helping us determine how to address the public health issues our communities face.”
Anyone ages 18+ is welcome to complete the online application available at rhhd.gov/hef by May 20th, 2022. Accepted individuals are expected to spend about 15-20 hours total between May and the end of 2022 through a combination of meetings and individual work completed at home. Individuals will be compensated for their time.