Category: blog

When RHHD’s Public Health Nurse Keesha Sellers learned she’d been named VDH’s Central Virginia Nurse of the Year, she began reflecting on the journey that brought her to public health nursing.

Keesha grew up in a military family and spent five years in the Navy. As a former Army nurse, her mom encouraged her to think about nursing as a second career. “Nursing wasn’t something I immediately wanted to do, but my mother always told me I had the character for it, that it was about pouring into people.”

When Keesha had her children, she realized she was ready for a profession that was about that kind of service, both to her family and her community. “Having children changed my view of the world. It became about nurturing and service. I wanted to meet people where they are at in their health journey.”

The military paid for Keesha to go back to nursing school, and she worked in different areas of healthcare before joining RHHD in 2018. “I fell in love with public health,” she says. “Helping underserved populations is humbling. I get to start by asking patients, ‘what does health look like to you?’ and then we go from there.”

Keesha’s supervisor, Ashley Lancaster, says Keesha exemplifies some of the most important public health values: “Keesha lives and breathes commitment to our immunization program success and our VDH mission as a whole. Keesha was one of the first of our nurses to, not only give, but also to receive a COVID vaccination in December 2020. She regularly comes in early and stays past her scheduled work time without hesitation, to ensure we are well positioned to respond to community needs.”

In addition to immunization work, Keesha has a special place in her heart for our newcomer clinic. “It has been huge to see clients come from countries where healthcare might not be the priority. I watch them come through the door and work hard to navigate new healthcare habits. And I love watching populations of women come in and see that we’re a clinic run mostly by women. I see a lightbulb go off in their head, like ‘I could do that.’ Some of them ask me how I got to where I am. And I always say, ‘here in this country, this is in reach for you.’”

On tough days, Keesha thinks about a mom she met at the clinic. The woman had lost her husband and two children in Afghanistan and was bringing her remaining family in for newcomer appointments. Keesha sat with her and listened while the children had their check-ups. At the end of the visit, she shared some mental health resources and connected the family with a Community Health Worker. “I just tried to say, “lean on your children. They’re a part of you and your husband, and we’ll help you get through this, too.” A few months later, when Keesha ran into the family at a local Wal-Mart, the mom repeated some of the guidance and resources Keesha had shared, reminding her that these short conversations can have long-term impact.

Keesha says she’s able to focus on clients because she knows she has an extraordinary team of public health workers working alongside her. “These people are my rock,” she says. “From getting our records together to communicating with clients over the phone, to sharing information about environmental health, everyone here has the biggest heart. When we lift each other up, we’re also lifting clients up.”

The sons that started Keesha’s journey into nursing are now embarking on their own careers. Both have graduated from Virginia State University and are following their mom’s and grandparents’ footsteps into the military. Keesha hopes her youngest will find his way to the medical field, and she encourages other recent graduates to consider healthcare, too: “If you’re someone invested in service and meeting people where they’re at in their health journey, this is where you’ll thrive!”

To learn more about RHHD’s clinic offerings, visit our clinic webpages for Richmond and Henrico; our whole staff shares Keesha’s investment in client-centered care! As you can see in this report from the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Keesha was the face of RHHD’s vaccination efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our newest Ryan White non-medical case manager, Markez Johnson, received the Virginia Ryan White Rookie Non-Medical Case Manager of the Year prize.

When Markez Johnson, RHHD’s newest Ryan White non-medical case manager, showed up at the Ryan White summit in Roanoke this spring, he didn’t know he’d be leaving a winner! At the summit, Markez was awarded the Virginia Ryan White Rookie Non-Medical Case Manager of the year prize. He was selected from more than 50 new case managers across the commonwealth.

Ryan White non-medical case managers help people who have newly received HIV diagnoses or who are trying to return to care. They work with them to figure out if they are eligible for Ryan White services and help them with paperwork and connections to important resources.

Markez won the award not only because of the quality of his nominations, but the quantity. While other nominees had a nomination or two from their teammates, Markez received a whopping five nominations, both from his team and the partners he works with closely. It’s a testament to Markez’s hard work and the relationships he’s built to make sure that clients are supported throughout their journey into HIV care.

One of the nominations came from supervisor Stephanie Mbengue and mentor Margie Sullivan, a former award-winner herself. Stephanie says that Markez’s award is well-deserved. “He brings a passion to this work that has fueled his ability to quickly master what it takes to provide excellent linkage to Ryan White care and services. He is committed to clients, quality reporting and teamwork, making him a true asset in our Ryan White programs.”

Markez started on RHHD’s Disease Intervention Specialist (DIS) team, which helps people who test positive for HIV or STIs locate treatment and share the diagnosis with any past partners: “It really got me into assisting people who have infectious diseases or HIV. There were a lot of people who didn’t want to know this information. So I try to let the people know—we don’t want anything to progress and get worse for you.”

When an opening appeared for a new non-medical case manager, Markez applied! The role draws on his DIS experience and his ability to communicate with people: “I come in with open arms—I’m here to hug them and talk about the progress they’re going to make from this point on.” He also credits his success to the mentorship of Margie Sullivan. “I’m grateful that I had Margie as my mentor,” Markez says. “She’s spent more than 20 years in case management for Ryan White. From the very start, she taught me the proper way to process these clients.”

The Rookie of the Year award capped off a meaningful first Ryan White summit for Markez. Highlights included the candied bacon at the Hotel Roanoke and some team building karaoke. More meaningfully, representatives from the National AIDS Memorial brought panels from the AIDS quilt to the conference, and conference participants contributed to a new panel for the quilt. Markez had the opportunity to add messages representing two older family members who passed away from AIDS: “It was moving to see that the 12 inserts were just a small part of the quilt,” he shares. “And now my loved ones are on it, too.”

Since he’s been home, Markez has celebrated his victory with a whole community of folks: “It’s exciting to see that the people I love so much are so proud of me. My mom wants to put my award on her desk.” And Markez isn’t stopping with Rookie of the Year. “I’m gonna keep making RHHD proud,” he says!

Heat was a challenging part of our public health work in 2024. During a hot summer, our Community Health Workers helped distribute almost 50 air conditioning units to families living without them, and our Built Environment Policy Analyst Peter Braun worked with researchers from University of Richmond and VDH central office to publish a paper analyzing the impacts of extreme heat on public health in Richmond. This research has resonated with partners in social services, planning, parks, and transportation, who are working to protect community members from extreme heat whether they are waiting at a bus stop or visiting a local park.   

Peter is expecting another hot summer this year. Even though you might be breaking out an unexpected sweater or two this week, he thinks now is still the time to built up some heat smarts. Early days of high heat can be the most challenging for our bodies. We’re not used to the hot temps yet, and we might push ourselves too hard or not pay close attention to warning signs of heat illnesses.  

As we gear up for a few months of hot weather, take time now to learn the symptoms of heat related illnesses like heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Remember: stay hydrated! As you’re planning outdoor spring activities, be sure to check if hot weather might impact your health with the CDC HeatRisk tool. 

Environmental Health plays a huge role in RHHD’s public health work. In 2024 alone, this team conducted 4557 food service inspections, investigated 1,799 animal bite incidents to prevent rabies, and worked with more than 200 well and septic system applications—whew!

Mike Callahan says that RHHD’s well and septic system expertise are often untapped resources for our communities. Mike began EH work in Henrico in 2001—he and his team have decades of experience! Environmental Health maintains onsite records going back to the 1960s, so they can often help new homeowners or renters figure out what’s on the property.

If you have a well or septic system, it’s good to know the basics. Below, Mike shares some tips for keeping your wells and septic systems safe:

Know your well.  

• Find your well’s location. Is your well on higher ground that will shed surface water, or is it located somewhere surface water might pool? Knowing the location of the well can help you make sure that any septic systems, fertilizers, or new drainage systems stay far away. You’ll also be able to plan when flooding occurs.
• Identify your well type. Do you have a modern, deep well or an older, bored well? That information will help you know how often your well should be tested for bacteria.
• Get to know your wellhead. The wellhead is the visible part of your water well. A normal wellhead should be fully sealed with no cracks. If you know what your wellhead looks like normally, you will be able to spot damage quickly and prevent contaminants from entering the water.
• Plan for testing. Bacteria testing quickly spots problems with your water supply. If you have a shallow bored well, you should plan to test every year. Drill wells can be tested every 3-5 years. Learn more about testing options through the Virginia Household Water Quality Program.
• Abandon responsibly. If you decide you no longer want to use the well on your property, call RHHD for help at 804-501-4529. We can complete the well abandonment permitting process at no charge.

Keep those septic systems functional!  

• Find your septic system’s location. Know where your drain fields and distribution box are. This information is important because you should avoid driving or building structures on top of the septic system.
• Be conscious of your water usage. Leaks can flood out a septic system, so notice and fix them quickly.
• Take care of your drains. Pouring chemicals, paints, bleach, or water softeners down the sink can kill beneficial bacteria that break down waste in your septic system.
• Minimize garbage disposals. Foodstuff increases grease development in your septic system, which means you will have to pump it out more frequently.
• Maintain based on your septic system type. Knowing more about your system will help you plan for maintenance. If you can’t find this information, call 804-501-4529. Mike and his team can bring you a copy of your permit and walk you through your septic system’s needs.

For an overview of septic systems, care, and maintenance, check out the Environmental Protection Agency webpage.

Learn more about what Mike and our other Environmental Health teammates do at our Henrico and Richmond city webpages!

April 11-17 is Black Maternal Health Week. “This observance gives us an opportunity to live into our public health mission of promoting healthy living and preventing disease,” said Richmond and Henrico Health Districts Director of Community Programming Margo Webb. “Through public health data, we know that our Black families are at the highest risk for adverse maternal and child health outcomes. By reflecting on the unique and important historical and cultural aspects of the Black community, we can work together to improve these outcomes.”

What do I need to know?  

• 80% of pregnancy related deaths in the U.S. are preventable.
• Black women are 3 times as likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than White women. This statistic reminds us that unequal health outcomes are often the result of unequal access to critical care and support before, during, and after pregnancy.

How is RHHD challenging these statistics? 

• RHHD’s Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) served an average of 8500 participants a month in 2024. The program makes sure that all new families have access to affordable and healthy foods and even provides support for breastfeeding!
• Our Maternity Navigation team helped 140 clients apply for Medicaid so that they could reach critical prenatal care.
• We served 1294 clients in our Family Planning clinics, making sure our neighbors were empowered to make their own choices about when to pursue a pregnancy.

What steps can I take?  

• Get connected to medical care and social support before, during, and after a pregnancy. RHHD’s Maternity Navigation can be a great place to ask for help getting started!
• Learn about urgent maternal warning signs, which could suggest complications during or after a pregnancy. If something feels off or is concerning, speak to your medical provider as soon as you’re able.