To have community health events listed in The Arlington Connection, mail to 7913 Westpark Drive, McLean, VA 22102, write an e-mail to arlington@connectionnewspapers.com or fax to 703-917-0991. Deadline is 2 p.m. the Thursday before publication. Call Matthew Razak at 703-917-6457 with any questions.
NAMI-Arlington's Advocacy Meeting will feature Arlington's recovery advocate and educator who will discuss the recovery model and concept for mental illness at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 9, in the basement meeting room, Mt. Olivet United Methodist Church, 1500 North Glebe Road, Arlington. Call 703-525-8616.
Northern Virginia Epilepsy Group meets every Wednesday from 7-8 p.m. at Falls Church High School Entrance 1, Career Center-Room 100, 7521 Jaguar Trail. Join on May 10, 17, 24, 31; June 7, 14, 21, 28; July 12, 19, 26; Aug. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30. Call Dana at 703-425-6660.
Reiki Appointments with certified Reiki practitioners. Reiki is a simple method of light touch that facilitates pain relief and stress reduction while stimulating the body's ability to heal itself. Virginia Hospital Center, 1701 North George Mason Drive, Arlington (Green Parking). Dress comfortably. Friday May 12, 7-9 p.m., by individual appointment; appointments are prioritized according to need; call 703-558-6284 or visit http://www.virginiahospitalcenter.com/incalendar/
NAMI-Arlington sponsors a support group for parents of children, teens and young adults with a psychiatric diagnosis. Meetings are every third Sunday of the month, with the next meeting Sunday, May 21 from 1-2:30 p.m. at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 16th & N. Inglewood, Arlington. Contact Naomi Verdugo at 703-862-9588.
Free Hypnosis Screenings Tuesday - Thursdays from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. with appointment. Call 703-352-5042.
Complimentary Nutrition Class Thursdays at 6-7:30 p.m. Lectures on specific health topics to be announced. Call Dr. Coleman at 703-352-5042.
The Epilepsy Foundation of the Chesapeake Region sponsors several support groups for adults diagnosed with seizure disorders and caregivers, free of charge. Call 703-425-6660.
Arlington Public health holds regular anonymous HIV testing, no appointment required. To be tested, visit 1800 N. Edison St. Tuesdays, 4-6 p.m. or Thursdays, 1:30-2:30 p.m. Testing by appointment is also available Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8:30-9:30 a.m. and 12-1:30 p.m. Call 703-228-5266.
The Northern Virginia AIDS Ministry is launching an effort to provide health education and personal skills for Northern Virginia’s immigrant and migrant populations. NOVAM plans to bring its new RV mobile unit to the streets of immigrant communities. The program will be funded by a $250,000 grant from The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Awards. Arlington is among the five counties NOVAM plans to target.
Appointments are available for help with Medicare's new prescription drug benefit (part D). Contact the Arlington Agency on Aging at 703-228-1700, TTY 703-228-1788, or e-mail Arlaaa@arlingtonva.us. A phone consultation may be all that is needed. For help with enrollment, call to schedule a free one-on-one appointment with a Medicare counselor. Appointments must be pre-scheduled. May 15 is the deadline to sign up without penalty.
HIV/AIDS Support Groups. Sponsored by the Whitman-Walker Clinic. Includes groups for women, Latinos, heterosexuals and those newly diagnosed. Call Ron Redfoot at 703-531-4979.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Family Support Group. Meets first Monday of the month, 7:30-9:30 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 4000 Lorcom Lane. Call 703-978-6425 for details.
Odyssey Healthcare, a hospice provider, seeks volunteers in the Northern Virginia community to visit and assist terminally ill patients and their families. Training will be provided. Call Karen Baroody at 703-821-9200 or e-mail kabaroody@odsyhealth.com.
The Parkinson's Disease Support Groups (Patient Discussion, Carepartners and Exercise Classes) meet weekday mornings at the Cherrydale Baptist Church, 3910 Lorcom Lane. The Parkinson Foundation invites persons with Parkinson's and their carepartners. Interested participants must call ahead. Call Leon Paparella at 202-966-4450.
The STD Clinic of Arlington now offers confidential HIV and STD testing on Tuesdays 1-3 p.m. The clinic is located at 1800 N. Edison St. The Anonymous HIV Testing Clinic is also open Tuesdays 4-6 p.m. and Thursdays 1:30-2:30 p.m. No appointments necessary. Call 703-228-5200. To make an appointment, call 703-228-5266. This open clinic is sponsored by Thalition, a coalition of organizations committed to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS in the African-American community. In Arlington, 9 percent of the population is African-American but approximately 27 percent of the people living with HIV/AIDS in Arlington are African-American.
Shoplifters Anonymous Meeting. A 12-step meeting which meets every Thursday from 7-8 p.m. at St. Luke's United Methodist Church, 7628 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church. Call 703-475-9278 or email hpower60@verizon.net.
CrisisLink's crisis intervention, suicide prevention and information and referral hotlines foster self-sufficiency by providing those most vulnerable with the tools they need to help themselves. Call 703-527-4077. Also available for the hearing-impaired at 703-752-5254. Visit www.crisislink.org.
National Hopeline: 1-800-SUICIDE
National Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK
Into Safe Arms helps save the lives of newborns in danger of abandonment and preserves the heath and future of their mothers. 703-752-5262.
Darkness to Light encourages adults to take responsibility in preventing child sexual abuse. 1-866-FOR-LIGHT.
CareRing provides free, daily check-in phone calls to individuals who are alone, aged, disabled or chronically ill. CareRing keeps minor issues from escalating into major emergencies. Visit www.crisislink.org or call 703-516-6764.
NAMI Arlington General Support Group for parents, friends and significant others meets on the fourth Tuesday each month at 7:30 p.m. at Mount Olivet United Methodist Church, 1500 N. Glebe Road. Call Frank Gisondi at 703-760-8988.
NAMI Arlington sponsors a support group for parents of children, teens and young adults with a psychiatric diagnosis. The group meets on the third Sunday of the month at 1 p.m. at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 5533 N. 16th St. Contact Naomi Verdugo at 703-862-9588.
Depressive and Manic Depressive Group meets on the second and fourth Mondays of each month at 7 p.m. at Sunrise of Falls Church, 200 N. Washington St., Falls Church. Call Marshall Epstein at 703-641-5460.
Schizophrenia/Schizoaffective Disorders Support Group meets on the first and third Wednesday of each month from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute, 3302 Gallows Road, Falls Church. Call Loren Booda at 703-524-9474.
The International Cesarean Awareness Network Inc. (ICAN), is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve maternal-child health by preventing unnecessary cesareans through education, providing support for cesarean recovery, and promoting Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC). Meetings are held on the 3rd Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m. at Tysons Pimmit Regional Library, 7584 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church. Call 703-790-8088.
The Epilepsy Foundation sponsors the Support Groups and Classes for Parents of Children (all ages) with Seizure Disorders, Adults diagnosed with Seizure Disorders, and Caregivers. Free of charge. Call Dana at 703-425-6660.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Support Groups at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, 4000 Lorcom Lane:
* Group for families meets the first Monday of the month, from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Call Marie 703-978-6425.
* Group for sufferers meets every Monday, 7:30-9:30 p.m. Call Peter 703-535-6575
AIDS/STD Services. The goal of the program is to prevent sexually transmitted infections and HIV. Twice weekly clinics provide testing, treatment, education and referral for STDs and HIV. Both anonymous and confidential HIV testing is offered 800 South Walter Reed Drive, Arlington. STD Clinics, including confidential HIV testing, are held on Tuesdays from 1-3 p.m. and Thursdays from 3-6 p.m. Call 703-228-5200.
Child Health (Well Child) Clinic. The goals are to prevent childhood disease, disability, or mortality and to promote optimum physical and mental development by providing preventive health assessments and parental education at recommended intervals for infants and children from six weeks to 5 years of age. Services include well child exams which consist of a physical exam; developmental and nutritional assessment; vision, hearing, and lead poisoning screening; health and parent education; and assessment and provision of needed immunizations. Call 703-228-1200.
Dental Clinic. The goal is to prevent the harmful effects of dental disease among members of the target population: children through high school age (and adults 60 years of age and older). The core services include preventive and diagnostic procedures such as examinations, X-rays, fluoride treatments, prophylaxis, and sealants. Call 703-228-1200.