{"id":19188,"date":"2024-01-12T10:33:05","date_gmt":"2024-01-12T15:33:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/richmond-city\/?p=19188"},"modified":"2026-05-19T14:05:43","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T18:05:43","slug":"reflectingon2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/richmond-city\/2024\/01\/12\/reflectingon2023\/","title":{"rendered":"Reflecting on the year that was with RHHD Director Dr. Elaine Perry"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Hello, neighbors and friends, and welcome back to the RHHD weekly newsletter! If you\u2019re like me, you\u2019ve spent some time in January considering what lessons from 2023 might come with you into 2024. Here at RHHD, our reflections are guided by our mission statement, our vision for our region, and our core values, which we revised early last year:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • MISSION<\/strong>: Protect health, champion equity, and partner to address local needs.<\/li>\n
  • VISION<\/strong>: Thriving communities supporting health for all.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
      \n
    • VALUES<\/strong>: Integrity, collaboration, equity, data-informed, innovative, strategic.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Our mission, vision, and values shaped RHHD\u2019s approach to 2023, a year of transitions, challenges, and new beginnings.<\/p>\n

        \n
      • In March,\u00a0the FDA approved Narcan\u2014a brand name for the opioid reversal agent naloxone\u2014for\u00a0over-the-counter use<\/strong>. Not needing a prescription for Narcan means that more residents can access this live-saving substance. RHHD\u2019s remarkable Opioid Response team and Community Health Workers offer\u00a0trainings\u00a0to prepare our communities against overdoses.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
          \n
        • On May 11,\u00a0the federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Declaration came to an end<\/strong>. RHHD adjusted our services to ensure that residents would still have access to vaccines, resources, and reliable health information, especially after the arrival of this year\u2019s updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine in the fall. You can still get information about COVID vaccines and testing by visiting vaccines.gov or calling 804-205-3501.<\/li>\n
        • In June,\u00a0we grieved with the families of Huguenot High School following the fatal post-graduation shooting outside the Altria Theater and reaffirmed our commitment to a city free of gun violence as an integral part of public health<\/strong>. We continue to mourn with and support those who lost loved ones to gun violence across our region in 2024, particularly through our work with the Trauma Healing Response Network.<\/li>\n
        • Throughout the summer,\u00a0smoke from Canadian wildfires reached our communities in unprecedented ways<\/strong>, reminding us all about the importance of\u00a0monitoring air quality\u00a0and protecting respiratory health.<\/li>\n
        • In August,\u00a0the Flying Squirrels hosted the first ever\u00a0\u201cKnock One Out of the Park for Breastfeeding,\u201d\u00a0a night of baseball that highlighted the health and social benefits of breastfeeding for babies and parents<\/strong>. The night celebrated the work that RHHD\u2019s\u00a0WIC team\u00a0and other community partners do to foster support for maternal and child health, particularly for Black mothers overrepresented in maternal mortality rates and underrepresented in breastfeeding support.<\/li>\n
        • Thanks to effective partnerships with RPS, HCPS, and medical providers,\u00a0RHHD spearheaded successful\u00a0back-to-school vaccination efforts, including\u00a0sports physicals<\/strong>. We also launched a\u00a0School Health Hub\u00a0to make sure that important health information is just a click away for all students and their caregivers!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
            \n
          • In December,\u00a0VDH launched\u00a0a syphilis website and dashboard\u00a0designed to address rising STI case numbers in the commonwealth<\/strong>. HIV\/STI prevention and treatment are critical components of RHHD\u2019s work. If you need information about testing or beginning preventative measures like PrEP,\u00a0visit our website\u00a0or call 804-205-3501.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            I\u2019d be remiss if I didn\u2019t also mention the\u00a0Richmond and Henrico Public Health Foundation\u2014RHHD's non-profit arm\u2014which spent 2023 supporting the work of essential community partners through the\u00a0Health Equity Fund.<\/p>\n

            2023 was an eventful year for public health, and I have no doubt that 2024 will be so, too. Our mission, vision, and values orient RHHD toward what matters most\u2014our connections to the community, a hope for a region where all live healthy and full lives\u2014so that we\u2019re prepared to take on whatever comes next. We look forward to being in community with and of service to you in this year ahead!<\/p>\n

            -Dr. Elaine Perry\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

            Hello, neighbors and friends, and welcome back to the RHHD weekly newsletter! 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