Happy Black History Month! For February, RHD has some amazing virtual events planned to honor Black history, culture, and traditions. Look out for special guest speakers, such as Black Men Heal, that will discuss mental health inequities through Black and Brown perspectives. Our popular Black Children’s Lit event returns this year, and we’ll be unveiling our first Black History Month Book Club. We look forward to bringing these educational and entertaining events as we celebrate the Black experience, and hope you’ll join us!

“Our staff has experienced a lot of ups and downs, just around coming back from COVID. They really appreciated the opportunity to create some positivity, because we focus so much on the negative. Philadelphia is a beautiful city. It can be so much more. There are so many people out there trying to make the city better.” Jaime Miller, Administrative Director of RHD’s Intensive Behavioral Health Services (IBHS), is discussing a recent, amazing artistic opportunity for the program’s staff.

Back in April, we shared a newsletter from a group of residents in RHD’s IDD programs in Northeastern and Southeastern Pennsylvania. The newsletters are created through meetings that take place over Zoom, where the group can socialize and collaborate while practicing literacy, computer, and research skills. A PA IDD occupational therapist and student interns serve as group facilitators. The November 2022 issue is now available, featuring articles on favorite vacations, upcoming movies, Halloween, and more!

In October 2022, RHD’s Fund Development team announced a new internal grant, accessible to all RHD programs, awarded twice yearly. The Together We Care Grant is awarded to programs that submit applications that demonstrate a compelling and thoroughly researched plan that positively benefits their participants in some way. Programs can apply for something small like a trip to the zoo, or something more ambitious, like a redesign of a communal space. For this first round of funding, two programs have been awarded grants.

·     Intensive Behavioral Health Services (IBHS) received $5,000 for their proposal for Sensory Motor Arousal Regulation (SMART) Model implementation at regionalized school sites that will provide increased clinical interventions, reduce symptoms, improve quality of life with children and families, and enhance the relationship with the school.

·     United Peers received $5,000 to fund a technology room with iPad and artificial intelligence equipment.

Congratulations to these amazing programs!

Are you an RHD program with a cool and exciting new event or development? Would you like to see it written about in RHD’s Connections, in addition to the RHD blog and social media? Let the Marketing and Communications team know! We’d love to spread the word about all the amazing work you do! Email michael.pelusi@rhd.org with your news tip! Or fill out our news tip form here. 

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