Making strides towards physical and mental health
Last Updated: May 18, 2026 by Kiran Sabharwal You may have heard that running is a mental sport. Richmonder Antoine Craig takes this literally! Between working as a mental health counselor and training for the US Track and Field Paralympic Team, he is invested in bettering the mental and physical health of our communities one step...Continue reading→
Head off heat-related illness
Last Updated: May 19, 2026 The past few weeks of major heat risk have led to increases in hospitalizations for heat-related illness. VDH’s Heat-Related Illness Dashboard shows that there can be serious visits to the emergency room or to urgent care for people dealing with heat-related illness. It’s important to know which heat-related symptoms should lead you to hydrate...Continue reading→
On the Radio: La importancia de tener vacunas antes de entrar a la escuela
Last Updated: May 26, 2026 by Kiran Sabharwal RHHD’s own Maria Maldonado and Adranae Mena are radio celebrities! Maria, who serves as a Henrico Community Health Worker and a host of Radio Poder 1380, was joined by Sr. Richmond CHW Adranae live on air a few weeks ago. This amazing equipo sat down with Radio Poder...Continue reading→
Become a de-tick-tive
Last Updated: May 4, 2026 Sherlock Holmes and Nancy Drew don’t always go looking for cases—sometimes, the cases find them. And no one likes finding ticks, but some days, you forget your insect repellant, your long pants, or your regular tick check, and then there you are, an amateur acarologist. If you find a tick on yourself,...Continue reading→
How will YOU prepare?
Last Updated: July 16, 2024 Summer is no vacation for RHHD’s Emergency Preparedness and Response (EP & R) team. During the summer, these experts are huddling up with colleagues in agencies across the commonwealth to review shelter plans and check on equipment like CHEMPACKs. They also run tabletop exercises to rehearse responses to unexpected events. EP...Continue reading→
Grill Safe
Last Updated: May 19, 2026 by Kiran Sabharwal From Fourth of July bashes to pool parties to backyard cookouts, July is full of opportunities to fire up the grill and gather around good food. This National Grilling Month, we sat down with RHHD Environmental Health Supervisor and Fourth-Of-July-Cookout-Expert Kirsten Dobson. Kirsten is one of the many...Continue reading→
Swim Safe
Last Updated: May 19, 2026 One solution for the heat? Take to the water! RHHD’s teams are promoting health by land and by…well, river, in our case. The Environmental Health team inspects marinas and pools to make sure that the water we want to jump into all summer long is as safe as possible. Environmental Technical Specialist Jay LeReche...Continue reading→
Sweat safe
Last Updated: May 19, 2026 In Richmond, we’re gearing up for a weekend of moderate heat risk. On days with moderate heat risk, it’s okay for most people to spend some time outside. It might be a good day to avoid staying outside for long periods of time. If you’re more sensitive to heat because...Continue reading→
Tell your energy bill to chill out!
Last Updated: May 19, 2026 Extreme heat doesn’t just cause serious heat-related illnesses. It can also be a pain for your monthly budget. The National Energy Association Directors Association estimates that this will be the most expensive summer yet for families trying to keep their homes cool. Starting on June 15, Virginia’s Department of Social Services (DSS) will...Continue reading→
Liberation, equal access, and community health: RHHD celebrates Juneteenth
Last Updated: May 19, 2026 Wednesday, June 19, marks the fourth federal observance of Juneteenth. Even before President Biden declared Juneteenth a federal holiday in 2021, the day was a meaningful opportunity to reflect on a national history of enslavement and to celebrate emancipation—the news of which reached enslaved people in Texas in 1865, almost two-and-a-half...Continue reading→
“Show your welcome”: Richmond’s Multicultural Festival was June 8!
Last Updated: May 19, 2026 Richmond’s Multicultural Festival: Imagine 2024 took place on Saturday, June 8. The annual event was cohosted by Richmond’s Office of Immigrant and Refugee Engagement and ReEstablish Richmond. Each year, it celebrates both National Immigrant Heritage Month and World Refugee Day. “The Multicultural Festival is always an opportunity for newcomers and...Continue reading→
Health equity and heat
Last Updated: May 19, 2026 by Kiran Sabharwal As the summer heats up, we’ll all be looking for shade. But finding a cool spot beneath a tree in Richmond and Henrico can be trickier in some neighborhoods than others. Not only do neighborhoods with fewer trees have less shade to cool off, higher temperatures in...Continue reading→