Newborn Nourishment
Last Updated: May 19, 2026 Adranae Mena, RHHD’s new Maternity Navigation Coordinator, is the mom of three kids, born almost fifteen years apart. In that time, she observed real changes in newborn delivery: “I had a doula when I gave birth to my now 19- and 21-year-olds, and what a big difference to have that type...Continue reading→
Welcome to Maternity Navigation, Adranae Mena!
Last Updated: May 18, 2026 On Friday, August 16, Adranae Mena finished up one of her last tasks as the Community Health Worker (CHW) Senior at RHHD’s Southwood Resource Center: she hosted the center’s seventh anniversary party. Community organizations from Legal Aid Justice Center to Little Hands Virginia set up information tables, a testament to the relationships Adranae cultivated carefully...Continue reading→
Southern HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
Last Updated: May 19, 2026 If you explore the AIDSVu map, an interactive map that illustrates HIV/AIDS data around the U.S., you might notice something startling: the areas with the highest rates of people living with AIDS tend to be clustered in the South. Southern HIV/AIDS Awareness Day takes place on August 20 and highlights the importance of...Continue reading→
When it comes to rabies, prevention is the best medicine
Last Updated: May 18, 2026 Today, fewer than 10 people in the U.S. die from rabies each year. It’s an impressive statistic, but it hides the work behind the scenes that keeps that number as low as possible. RHHD Public Health Nurse Nicole McCurrach started working in clinical rabies ten months ago. On her first day,...Continue reading→
Knocking one out of the park for breastfeeding
Last Updated: May 18, 2026 by Olivia Golden On August 7, RHHD joined several community partners for Knock One Out of the Park for Breastfeeding 2024! In honor of Breastfeeding Awareness Week, RHHD and other local organizations tabled at The Diamond to share about the benefits of breastfeeding and the resources available to those considering...Continue reading→
Meet Carolina Lugo
Last Updated: May 18, 2026 This summer, RHHD welcomed Carolina Lugo as our new School Health Coordinator! The long-time Richmond area resident and mom of two took some time out of her busy first few weeks to talk with us about the importance of health in school, the value of bilingual education and language access,...Continue reading→
Cooling for two: pregnancy and heat
Last Updated: May 19, 2026 We’re talking a lot this summer about extreme heat and heat-related illness. We also know that, for many reasons, extreme heat doesn’t affect everyone equally. Pregnant people are one group who are more at risk for heat-related illness and dehydration during hot days. Our bodies do lots of hard work to cool us down when we get too hot, and pregnant...Continue reading→
Health and Art – a perfect summer match
Last Updated: May 19, 2026 By Kiran Sabharwal One of the largest health concerns in summer months, especially when temperature rise above 86 degrees, is heat-related illness. July temperatures can bring the risk of heat exhaustion or even heat stroke, so it’s important to take breaks from the heat in air-conditioned spots and drink lots of...Continue reading→
World Hepatitis Day 2024: It’s Time for Action
Last Updated: May 19, 2026 By Sydney Harris World Hepatitis Day is observed every year on July 28. The World Health Organization says that “with a person dying every 30 seconds globally from a hepatitis-related illness, we must accelerate action on better prevention, diagnosis, and treatment to save lives and improve health outcomes.” “Hello! My name is...Continue reading→
Spotlight on… the CHA!
Last Updated: July 31, 2024 by Haasita Akkala RHHD’s 2024 Community Health Assessment survey is still going strong! This anonymous survey for residents tries to answer big questions: What’s helping our neighborhoods stay healthy and well? Which communities need more resources to solve harder problems? Hi! My name is Haasita Akkala and I am working with Jasmine...Continue reading→
Not all ‘90s Trends Need a Comeback. Get Tested for Syphilis!
Last Updated: May 18, 2026 by Jenna Hauger Alongside straight-leg jeans, biker shorts, and slip dresses, another ‘90s trend that has made a comeback over the last few years is syphilis—a sexually transmitted infection that is treatable with antibiotics and has no permanent effects if caught early. The best way to tell syphilis “Bye Bye...Continue reading→
Go for gold with good sexual health practices
Last Updated: May 26, 2026 Paris’s organizers are stocking Olympics Village with 300,000 condoms, which include external and internal condoms as well as oral dams. This practice dates back to 1988, when Seoul Olympics planners distributed condoms specifically to raise HIV and AIDS awareness. RHHD’s Health Education team was thrilled to hear Olympics First Aid Coordinator Laurent Dalard...Continue reading→