health | FFXnow

Published May 23, 2025 at 10:00AM

A massage-therapy establishment on Route 7 (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors signaled initial support on Tuesday (May 20) for moving forward with the first rewrite of the county’s massage therapy regulations in a quarter-century.

Staff have proposed shifting regulatory oversight from the county’s Department of Cable & Consumer Services to the Health Department. Individual massage therapists would no longer need to obtain a county license or pay the associated fee, as they’re already licensed by the Virginia Department of Health Professions.

News

Reston-based child care research library faces risk of losing federal funding

By Angela Woolsey and Associated Press

Published May 15, 2025 at 1:45PM

The office buildings at 1900 and 1902 Reston Metro Plaza at Reston Station (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

As the Trump administration continues to gut the federal workforce and budget, a Reston contractor recently got an inadvertent head’s up that one of its research projects could be next on the chopping block.

A U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) spreadsheet mistakenly emailed to grant recipients on April 30 listed over 150 projects to support child welfare that are apparently being considered for termination, including Child Care and Early Education Research Connections, the Associated Press reported.

News

Oakton nonprofit lands nearly $1M in grants to expand mental health support services

By Scott McCaffrey

Published April 2, 2025 at 3:45PM | Updated April 2, 2025 at 5:53PM

HopeLink's Transition to Independent Process team meets about helping youth (photo courtesy HopeLink Behavioral Health)

An Oakton-based nonprofit has received two contracts totaling nearly $1 million to expand its support services for Northern Virginia residents with serious mental illness and substance-use disorders.

Announced yesterday (Tuesday), the contracts were awarded to HopeLink Behavioral Health by the state and Fairfax County governments.

News

Retired Fairfax County fire captain dies of occupational cancer

By Jared Serre

Published April 2, 2025 at 9:45AM | Updated April 2, 2025 at 9:39PM

Former Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department Captain Barry Maham died from colon cancer on March 31, 2025 (Maham photo courtesy of FCFRD; truck file photo)

Captain Barry Maham, who served with the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department (FCFRD) for more than 25 years, has died of an occupational-related cancer.

Maham, 50, died Monday (March 31), nearly four-and-a-half years after he was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. His death is considered to have occurred in the line of duty, the department said.

Countywide

Fairfax ranked among Top 5 healthiest counties in America

By Vernon Miles

Published April 1, 2025 at 9:00AM

People walk and cycling on the Washington & Old Dominion Trail in Herndon (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Fairfax has scored a Top 5 spot on a ranking of the healthiest counties in the U.S.

The 2025 Niche rankings released last week found that Fairfax County is the fifth healthiest county in the country based on a review of 2,764 counties.

Around Town

Therapy program for children with autism coming to Chantilly and Tysons

By Vernon Miles

Published March 24, 2025 at 11:15AM

Little Leaves program (via Little Leaves Behavioral Services/Facebook)

Little Leaves Behavioral Services, a center that offers specialized therapy programs for young children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, is opening four new centers around the region including two in Fairfax.

According to a press release, the new centers will open sometime this summer. They will each be able to serve 24 children.

Countywide

No consensus from Fairfax board on restricting tobacco sales near schools

By Scott McCaffrey

Published March 14, 2025 at 1:15PM

Vape accessories at AJ Tobacco & Mini Mart at 1037 W. Glebe Road in Alexandria (staff photo by James Cullum/ALXnow)

A staff proposal to restrict future sales of cigarettes and vapes near Fairfax County schools and child-care facilities has drawn a mixed reaction from county supervisors.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors directed staff in December to study options for regulating tobacco, nicotine and hemp products after the Virginia General Assembly adopted a law last year allowing localities to restrict sales from new businesses within 1,000 feet of a school or child care facility.

Countywide

Health officials confirm measles case at Dulles Airport

By Jared Serre

Published March 10, 2025 at 9:00AM

Dulles International Airport at night (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

State health officials have been alerted to a confirmed case of measles in a recent traveler at Dulles International Airport.

A Maryland resident returning to the D.C. area earlier this month may have exposed other travelers to the highly contagious, airborne illness, local health departments said over the weekend.

Countywide

Flu levels higher than usual in Fairfax, health department says

By Angela Woolsey

Published February 6, 2025 at 9:45AM

The Fairfax Health District is experiencing a high level of respiratory illness activity, as of Feb. 4, 2025 (via Fairfax County Health Department)

If it seems like you know or have encountered more sick people this winter, it might not be your imagination.

The Fairfax Health District, which includes Fairfax County, Fairfax City and Falls Church, is experiencing high levels of respiratory illnesses, driven particularly by influenza, according to the Fairfax County Health Department.

Countywide

Future tobacco and vape shops could face restrictions in Fairfax County

By Scott McCaffrey

Published December 4, 2024 at 1:15PM

Smoking (via Reza Mehrad/Unsplash)

Fairfax County leaders are taking preliminary steps to potentially restrict new tobacco and hemp retailers from locating in close proximity to schools and day-care facilities.

The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously yesterday (Tuesday) to direct county staff to begin studying the regulatory options available to localities under a law passed earlier this year by the Virginia General Assembly.