School health resources for families - Richmond City Health Department

Your student’s care team includes health professionals inside and outside the school. Resources from RHHD and our partners address all aspects of life that affect a child’s health and wellness.

Communicable disease testing and treatment

RHHD’s epidemiology website explains how RHHD prepares for and helps to contain and treat communicable disease (who says students are the only ones learning new things?) RHHD also offers testing, treatment, and/or vaccination for many of these illnesses.

RHHD keeps an updated schedule of free COVID-19 vaccination events. The “How Do I Get the Vaccine?” page offers other options for finding COVID-19 vaccines, too!
RHHD also continues to host COVID-19 test distribution events.
Other communicable diseases include sexually transmitted infections (STIs). RHHD’s STI/HIV Services website lists prevention, testing, and treatment options through our Cary Street, Henrico East, and Henrico West locations.
Residents may also seek out HIV/STI screening and treatment, along with a variety of other services, at our Resource Centers.

General health services

Key RHHD programs work to keep the whole family and the whole home healthy—and that makes students healthier, too!

RHHD’s Health Childbirth and Infancy initiative provides expectant parents with maternity care and connects them to other health, nutrition, and financial resources.
RHHD houses the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Supplemental Food Program. You can check eligibility and learn how to get connected to services at the WIC website.
Looking to quit smoking? RHHD’s smoking cessation programs can help!
The Lead-Safe Program and Health Homes Initiative offer screenings, educations, and other support to ensure that your home is as safe as possible for young active minds.

RHHD maintains lists of primary care offices serving patients with Medicaid or Uninsured/Underinsured. Some of our partners provide additional resources for accessing affordable health care.

CoverVA supports Medicaid enrollment and offers other health insurance resources for people who are not Medicaid-eligible.
Unite Us’s Get Help page connects residents with a range of care providers and social support, so that you get the right help for your specific need.

Legal services 

Housing or landlord issues? Problems with Individual Education Plans (IEP) for children? Difficulty obtaining entitlement benefits? These are just some of the legal supports available: 

Central Virginia Legal Aid Society 
Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU Medical-Legal Partnership (for VCU Health patients)

Mental health

Support from family and friends is important. A licensed mental health practitioner is also trained to offer perspectives, approaches to mental health, and other resources that our family and friends can’t always provide. There are many private mental health practitioners in Richmond and surrounding areas. If you have private medical insurance or public health insurance such as Medicaid you may contact your health insurance organization for a list of covered providers. 

If you or a loved one is experiencing a mental health crisis, you can also reach out for immediate help through a hotline.

All Virginians can dial 988 and get directly connected to mental-health support in moments of crisis. Visit the 988 website to learn more about this important new resource.
The Virginia Department of Social Services hosts a Family Violence and Sexual Assault Hotline (1-800-838-8238). There is also an LGBTQ Partner Abuse and Sexual Assault Helpline (1-866-356-6998). Instant messaging and text options are available if it isn’t safe to talk on the phone. Both of these also have a confidential chat feature or you can text the hotlines at 804-793-9999.
If you need to speak to a counselor regarding child-based trauma, you can call ChildSavers Immediate Response Helpline at (804) 305-2420.

Last Updated: December 7, 2023