Category: blog

Many of us are preparing more food or gifting more toys this month. Every meal and every gift should be joyous, and paying attention to recall notices can help!

Recalls let consumers know if there have been possible illnesses or injuries associated with items they’ve purchased.

How do I find out about recalls?  

There are lots of good resources for tracking recalls:

• Food recalls appear on foodsafety.gov, the Food and Drug Administration, and the CDC.
• Toy safety features on SaferProducts.gov and through the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
• Many local news sources will also highlight recalls in your area.

What do I do if I’ve bought a recalled product?  

• Most importantly, do not eat or use the product!
• Many recalls will include information about returning the food or toy for a refund.
• If the product can’t be returned, dispose of it safely. Some recalls will include instructions.
• In the case of a food recall, clean surfaces, drawers, or utensils that came into contact with the food.

There’s so much to consider with toy safety! How do I keep the kids in my life safe?  

Recall or no, follow these tips to ensure all holiday gifts are safe for kiddos:

• Make sure any toy you buy is age appropriate. Children under 3 should not use toys with small parts that can easily go into a mouth. If you’re not sure about size, try fitting toy parts through a toilet paper roll—toys smaller than that will definitely pose a choking hazard.
• Follow all packaging instructions about safe usage.
• If you’re gifting a bike, skates, or scooter, add a helmet to the package!

Public health cares about residents living healthy, long lives. That means that we focus on illness, but we also pay attention to injury and community safety. In the winter, residents can face bad road conditions, cold temperatures, and power outages that make daily activities less safe.

RHHD’s Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, Ed Porner shares some tips for staying as healthy as possible this winter, no matter what the weather throws your way:

Rethink drives “over the river and through the woods” as conditions change.  

Ed says that a lot of us experience “Get-there-itis” over the holidays—we’re reluctant to change our plans when there’s snow, or even worse, ice on the roads. “It’s so important to know your limits,” he says. Check weather and road conditions before you leave for lengthy trips. If you’re not familiar with driving in the snow, or your vehicle isn’t built for extreme weather, consider delaying. And remember that a wet day with a cold overnight is a recipe for icy streets the next day!

It’s also important to check for any possible impairment before you start driving. Impairment can include drowsy, distracted, drugged, or drunk driving. Traffic crashes are preventable, so let’s do our part to keep loved ones and strangers alike safe by arranging a designated driver, making use of rideshares or Richmond’s fare free bus lines, or planning festivities at home.

Stock those emergency kits.  

Ed recommends having at least one emergency kit at home and one for your car. Ready.gov has a great list of basic kit necessities and options for making low-cost kits. It’s also good to start with the specific needs of your family. “If there’s a baby in the house, make sure there’s formula, diapers, or other items they need Anyone with prescription medications should have a few weeks’ worth,” Ed says. If you freeze or refrigerate breast milk or prescription medication, you’ll want to add a cooler to your kit checklist. Finally, “don’t forget about your pets!”

Know your heat sources.  

In the event of freezing temperatures or power outages, Ed wants people to stay warm, but to stay warm safely. Sometimes, a heat source that feels good in the moment can lead to dangerous carbon monoxide poisoning or even death:

• Avoid using stovetop burners or an oven to heat your home.
• Keep generators outdoors and separate from the house.
• Use candles instead of your car’s heating system to warm yourself if you’re stranded. Ed explains that if snowfall blocks your tailpipe, fumes can enter the car. “Add a couple candles and a lighter to your emergency kit,” he says.
• Know about your nearest Inclement Weather Shelter or warming center. “Richmond and Henrico both have great plans for how they’ll open warming centers when it gets really cold,” Ed says. Keep an eye on your locality’s announcements for options near you.

Emergency Preparedness and the whole RHHD staff wish you a warm, safe, and healthy December!

Sunday, December 1, was World AIDS Day, an opportunity to mourn the more than 32 million people worldwide who have died from AIDS-related illnesses.

In the U.S., the theme for this year’s World AIDS Day is “Collective Action: Sustain and Accelerate HIV Progress.” The Department of Health and Human Services says that, “This theme speaks to the remarkable advancements we have made in HIV care and prevention over the past four decades and to the ongoing effort to ensure that no communities are left behind as we work towards ending the HIV epidemic.”

RHHD’s PrEP Coordinator Bernard Stackhouse says that spending World AIDS Day both looking back and looking forward is important.

“We have to remember. And we also can’t forget how far we’ve come with medications and treatments,” he says. One of those game-changing medications is PrEP, or Pre-exposure prophylaxsis. PrEP reduces the risk of contracting HIV from sexual contact or injection drug use.

“Working in PrEP gives me that hope, that with a combination of prevention and treatment, we can end the spread of HIV. We have the tools, and we have to get people to use them. And the biggest parts of that are education and overcoming barriers that prevent people from taking their medication,” says Bernard. In honor of World AIDS Day, he shares some important information we should all know about PrEP:

• PrEP can be for anyone. Bernard talks to people who sometimes think PrEP is only for men who have sex with other men, but he sees people with a range of experiences and identities in RHHD’s PrEP program. “I want anyone who is sexually active or who has any reason to feel like they might be at risk for HIV to come talk about PrEP,” Bernard says.

• PrEP can be affordable. Bernard explains that there’s been a lot of progress in insurance coverage for both HIV prevention and treatment, but he knows that “insurance is overwhelming, period.” As part of the PrEP program, Bernard helps clients understand their insurance options for PrEP, apply for Medicaid, or access medication through pharmaceutical companies if they’re uninsured.

• PrEP prevents lengthier, more permanent, treatment. “You can take PrEP for as long as you need, and you can stop or start again when you need to. If you contract HIV, though, you’ll need to stay in treatment for the rest of your life. Having that option is wonderful, because treatment medications are safe and effective, but I’d rather see people preventing HIV to begin with!”

Bernard feels hopeful about the future of HIV care. “The prevention side of it—PrEP—works. And we have the other side, which is treatment, and that works. If the people who need prevention can access prevention and the people who need treatment are in treatment, we’ve achieved what we were looking for. Now we’re just working against the barriers that make that difficult.”

Bernard and his teammates are here to help reduce barriers community members might face in accessing PrEP and other HIV prevention or treatment services. Get to know Bernard and RHHD’s PrEP program by visiting the website or calling 804-664-2125.

November is American Diabetes Month. Take 60 seconds this month to complete a prediabetes risk test, which can help you figure out if you need to take extra steps to prevent diabetes.

I’ve heard of diabetes, but what is prediabetes?  

People living with prediabetes have higher than normal blood glucose levels, but their levels aren’t high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. As many as 1 out of 3 Virginians are living with prediabetes, and many don’t know!

What happens if I have prediabetes? 

Prediabetes is reversible!

• • You can take steps to lower your blood glucose levels to make sure that prediabetes doesn’t turn into Type 2 Diabetes by focusing on diet and exercise. Consider adding a Turkey Trot and a few fresh greens to your Thanksgiving plans!
  • There are also lots of Diabetes Prevention Programs around the state that can help you on this journey: Find one near you on the VDH website.
  • Experiencing prediabetes can also be an important reason to give up smoking—together, smoking and diabetes can increase your risk for stroke or heart attack. Support your quit journey at Quit Now Virginia.

November 10–16 is Nurse Practitioners Week. Nurse Practitioners are a critical part of our healthcare landscape—they make sure that as many residents as possible have access to a care provider.

In Virginia, we have more than 17,500 NPs, a few of whom work at RHHD! This week, we’re celebrating the following team members:

• Tracey Avery-Geter
• Allison Gregory
• Christina Jennings
• Patricia Newton
• Gabriela Paniagua-Stolz
• Christy Smith
• Lisa Wiener

Clinical Health Nurse Manager Sarah Widmer says that “We are so grateful for the amazing team of Nurse Practitioners here at RHHD. They are passionate about public health, committed to high quality clinical services and incredibly caring providers. They meet each individual client where they are and provide extraordinary care, support and clinical service. Our NPs are the best!”

Our nurse practitioners have great bedside manner AND green thumbs!

Take action: If you or someone you know is struggling or experiencing a mental health crisis, you can now call or text 988 for immediate support. The National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline provides people with a trained crisis counselor to talk them through a crisis. In some situations, the lifeline may dispatch emergency services to come help the person directly.

RHHD’s Community Health Assessment (CHA) revealed three major areas where residents saw big health challenges:

• Community Safety and Violence Prevention
• Chronic Disease
• Mental Health, including Substance Use Disorder

Today, we’re focusing on Mental Health. More than 30% of you said that mental health concerns—including anxiety, depression, and self-harm—were one of the biggest health issues currently facing our communities.

The Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) will help RHHD decide how to address this important issue. A first important step is the Richmond and Henrico Regional Resource Guide to Substance Use and Behavioral and Mental Health. The guide provides a detailed list of service facilities that address substance use, along with mental health and behavioral health. The tool is the result of a year of hard work from Anna Back, Elle Merkle, and Lashawnda Singleton. RHHD’s Director of Community Programs Margo Webb calls this trio “invaluable” because of their expertise and their willingness to ask deep questions across our community.

Why does the guide focus on substance use AND mental health?  

Data show that people with mental health illnesses may be more likely to experience Substance Use Disorder, too. A “co-occurring disorder” is when someone has to navigate substance use disorder and a mental health illness at the same time. SAMHSA estimates that 21.5 million Americans experience co-occurring disorders.

RHHD’s Clinical Social Worker Supervisor, D’atra Franklin, has experience working with people experiencing substance use disorder. “Many individuals turn to substances as a way to cope with untreated mental health issues, leading to a cycle that exacerbates both conditions,” she explains. By integrating mental health treatment into SUD interventions, we can improve outcomes, reduce stigma, and allocate resources more effectively. Ultimately, recognizing and treating these co-occurring disorders is essential for fostering healthier populations and reducing healthcare costs in the long run.”

What does the guide do?  

Margo says that the guide is useful for people who need a combination of substance use and mental health resources: “Because substance use and mental health run together for many reasons, it can be hard to distinguish how best to treat those things. We need to untangle what mental health means for each individual and to understand the landscape of what’s available. The guide attempts to lay out some of those steps.”

Why does public health need to focus on mental health?  

Margo explains that mental health connects to other CHA priority areas like community safety and chronic disease. “There are so many ways that mental health permeates our society,” she says. “All crises in my opinion have multiple layers. Your individual situation affects your family. When enough families are affected, that’s a neighborhood. Mental health threads through the fabric of humanity, so it’s definitely in our wheelhouse.”

“In public health, we always talk about holistic health, so that means everything—head to toenails, inside out. I think mental health is definitely public health.”

How can I get involved?  

For Margo, the guide is an important first step, but it “can’t always capture the reality of the process.” As RHHD embarks on Community Health Improvement Planning, resident participation can help us learn what is and is not working for our community members. “Starting with people is always the best place to begin,” Margo says.

Do you have ideas about how to support community mental health or how to reduce the impact of substance use disorder? If so, you can join RHHD’s Community Health Improvement Planning Committee by filling out this interest form!

Take action: Adolescents can have their own mental health challenges. Cindy recommends opening conversations with young people in your life in a patient and non-judgmental way: “A simple ‘how are you feeling?’ or ‘what’s on your mind?’ can be the start of a breakthrough.

Cindy Pulido is one of RHHD’s newest staff members! She joins our Population Health team as the Adolescent Health Coordinator.

Tamara Jones, the Population Health Manager, says that Cindy will be working closely with RHHD staff and community partners to design programs and initiatives focused on promoting the health and well-being of adolescents through the City of Richmond: “Cindy brings a wealth of experience, including implementing evidence-based interventions, grant writing, research, and extensive leadership in health programs. Her diverse background and expertise will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen the Adolescent Health Program!”

As Cindy settles into Adolescent Health and life in our region, she shares a bit about her journey here and what’s next:

 

Cindy’s family and hometown steered her toward public health.  

Both of my parents are from Mexico and moved to Washington state for a better life and to work in agriculture. I grew up in a small rural town that didn’t have a lot of access to opportunities or a sense of networking.

I knew I wanted a job that would help my community, because my family and I struggled to access health care. Seeing my family having to navigate those systems, I felt like I had to help even when I was younger. I wanted to be a nurse growing up but public health classes shifted my focus. They made me realize I’d already been doing some of this work all my life. Public health showed me how I could take on a bigger role and reach the community.

 

Cindy thinks adolescent well-being is key to public health’s mission.  

I like that public health is usually preventive. Instead of dealing with the aftermath of a problem, it’s often about fixing the problem before it even starts. Adolescent health focuses on that preventive care. We’re thinking, “while youth are in this transitional stage, what resources can we provide, what programs can we help create, what relationships can we help build when these young folks are just trying to figure it out?”

Just take yourself back to when you were an adolescent and remember how hard the day-to-day was. And if it wasn’t hard for you, imagine it being harder if you’re dealing with problems adolescents shouldn’t have to be dealing with, like if a family member is going through Substance Use Disorder. That time of being an adolescent is so crucial to creating your path in life. I love being able to nourish the adolescent population and give them whatever they need to thrive in whatever situation they end up in. They’re all so unique—you have first generations like me, who might have struggled with parents who never went to high school, not really knowing how to navigate homework help. You might have people who are dealing with domestic violence at home. We’re trying to focus on every young person’s health and wellness. These are our future workforce, our future leaders, so it’s really important to focus on them.

 

Cindy sees youth confronting unique and urgent challenges.  

We can all agree that mental health is a huge topic that we need to work with collaborators to address. Vaping and fentanyl are both big issues, not only within our youth, but with older adults in their lives who might be struggling with addiction.

I’ve also been realizing that some our high schools have lower graduation and college readiness rates. I’d love to find ways to bring more attention to life after high school and preparation for it during high school. We need to help youth get the resources and confidence they need to successfully make that transition.

And the access to social media now can have positive and negative impacts on youth. Seeing all these things on the internet, like people living “perfect lives,” could make you feel like you’re not good enough. It can affect your ability to focus, your confidence, and that can all contribute to mental health.

One thing that’s wonderful about working in Richmond is that there are a lot of resources for adolescents who have expressed interest in mental health services. Traditional therapy services can be located through organizations like the Richmond Behavioral Health Authority, and there are alternative therapeutic experiences like artistic expression (Art 180 is a great example!)

Right now, our team is working closely with the schools to educate and provide presentations on fentanyl and naloxone use. Our goal is to be another wonderful resource cultivating safe environments in which adolescents can seek help. We will be working with community partners as well as with the youth themselves to push back on these barriers our young people face!

 

Cindy answers our teen-focused lightening round!  

• • Favorite high school fashion trend: Skinny jeans and hoodies.
  • Most likely to be on the car radio: Drake.
  • Favorite school subject: I loved the challenge of math.
  • Best afterschool job: Working at the movie theater. There wasn’t much to do in my town, so people hung out there. I always knew the tea!

Cindy Pulido, RHHD’s new Adolescent Health Coordinator!