Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board

We focus on building healthy behaviors and coping strategies that protect against mental health and substance use concerns. In the process, we recognize that each community and individual faces unique challenges, so we tailor our prevention efforts to meet their specific needs. - Raymond Paden, LPC, CSB Wellness, Health Promotion & Prevention Program Manager About CSB Wellness, Health Promotion and Prevention Trainings The Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board’s Wellness, Health Promotion and Prevention (WHHP) team works to strengthen our community’s emotional health and ability to handle challenges related to mental health concerns, suicide, and substance misuse through training, workshops, presentations, campaigns, and participating in community events. Who in the community is eligible to participate? All Fairfax County residents are eligible to participate in our classes, which include: Talk. They Hear You. Underage Drinking & Substance Use Presentation Mental Health First Aid (Youth and Adult) Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Suicide Prevention Training Opioid Overdose and Naloxone Education (REVIVE! Kit Training) Understanding Adverse Childhood Experiences Most current training opportunities are designed for adults and young adults, with new youth-focused initiatives currently in development. How do you access these trainings and presentations? To learn more about our services and see upcoming trainings, visit our program web page. You can also email us directly at csbprevention@fairfaxcounty.gov. What are the outcomes or improvements in people’s lives after participating? Our services aim to reduce risk factors and strengthen protective factors related to mental health and substance misuse. By promoting early identification and intervention, we help address concerns before they become more severe. We focus on building healthy behaviors and coping strategies that protect against mental health and substance use concerns. In the process, we recognize that each community and individual faces unique challenges, so we tailor our prevention efforts to meet their specific needs. What is your favorite success story? One of our favorite success stories is the transformation of the Fairfax Prevention Coalition over the past year. We’ve made it more inclusive by actively engaging community members, youth and key partners (e.g., Fairfax County Public Schools, the Fairfax County Health Department) — all working together to reduce substance misuse across the county. We also launched two pilot programs: Mental Health Education 101 at the Adult Detention Center and the Fatal Vision program, which we have delivered to various youth groups throughout Fairfax County. Additionally, we expanded our youth engagement efforts, including partnering with Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services on the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth Dangers of Fentanyl presentation. Internally, Wellness, Health Promotion and Prevention celebrated the hiring of two new supervisors — both promoted from within — highlighting our commitment to staff development and organizational growth.

Specialty dockets combat stigma by recognizing that substance use challenges and mental illness are not crimes. Through collaboration and the dedication of multiple agencies, these courts offer compassionate, effective alternatives to incarceration. - Martha Dunn-McCue, CSB Courthouse Services Behavioral Health Manager About CSB Courthouse Services The CSB’s three specialty courts — Recovery Court, Veterans Treatment Docket, and the Mental Health Docket — offer a compassionate, collaborative alternative to traditional approaches. Focused on treatment over punishment, these voluntary programs support individuals facing mental illness, substance use challenges, or developmental disabilities, who come into the criminal justice system. They recognize that criminal behavior can stem from untreated or undiagnosed conditions. In addition to directly staffing the docket teams, the CSB acts as a treatment provider for many participants of the Specialty Dockets. Participants are involved in various CSB programs including residential treatment, Behavioral Health Outpatient Programs, the Addiction Medicine Clinic, Turning Point, Intensive Case Management and Assertive Community Treatment. Who in the community is eligible? Adults who have pending charges in Fairfax County and have serious mental health and/or substance use treatment needs and are at high risk of ongoing criminal recidivism if their behavior health needs are not met.  To be eligible for most of the dockets an individual must have high criminogenic risk, high treatment needs and meet the following criteria: Individuals with charge(s) in Fairfax County. Event(s) that lead to the charge(s) were the result of symptoms associated with an underlying substance use disorder (SUD) or serious mental illness (SMI). Individuals assessed to meet high risk of criminal recidivism and high treatment needs by a validated assessment tool. [Veterans Docket also has a low criminogenic risk/high treatment need track.] Office of the Commonwealth Attorney approves for legal eligibility. Individuals must be willing to undergo intensive treatment and supervision for their SUD or SMI as opposed to following the traditional approach to the legal process in exchange for reduced or dismissed charges at program completion. For Recovery Court and the Mental Health Docket, individuals must be a Fairfax County Resident. How do you access this service and where do you go to get help? Individuals who have pending charges in Fairfax County can be referred by anyone including CSB treatment providers. Most of the docket referrals come from defense attorneys but other referral sources including judges, police officers, magistrates, even individuals themselves. What is the outcome or improvement on people’s lives after they’ve received this service? Specialty dockets combat stigma by recognizing that substance use challenges and mental illness are not crimes. Through collaboration and the dedication of multiple agencies, these courts offer compassionate, effective alternatives to incarceration. The result: fewer repeat offenses, improved public safety, smarter use of resources, a healthier community, and, most importantly, support for individuals in crisis to recover and regain control of their lives. What practices have proven most effective in engaging participants and supporting long-term success? These courts connect participants with behavioral health treatment, case management, and other community-based services as part of their court-mandated plan. However, gaps remain in timely access to housing, long-term treatment options, and culturally responsive services. Individuals typically resistant to treatment choose to engage in these programs due to the legal incentive. If they complete the program their charge(s) will be dismissed or significantly reduced. People are initially motivated to engage by a desire to stay out of jail and avoid having a criminal record. Over time, once they begin to physically experience the positive benefits of engaging in treatment and living a life of recovery, they begin to want to change their lives for themselves. The non-adversarial court experience helps individuals to feel like people who are worth something. The wraparound supports provided link people to their specific needs such as assistance with food and shelter, parenting and childcare resources, employment support, medical care, benefits, peer support, and community groups. These help participants build stronger recovery capital so that they can successfully break patterns that have historically kept them cycling in and out of the criminal justice system, and be able to maintain their recovery after graduation from the docket. How do you ensure that specialty court dockets operate equitably and do not unintentionally reinforce disparities across race, income or disability status? Courts are tracking demographic outcomes, offering interpretation services and partnering with culturally specific providers. Still, systemic disparities require ongoing attention and reform. The Specialty Dockets follow national best practice guidelines established by All Rise (formerly National Association of Drug Court Professionals). One of the best practice standards for evaluation is to monitor for unintentional disparities. The team tracks data, which is submitted to the state specialty docket team as well as a contracted independent evaluator for review on a quarterly basis. We are provided with feedback on if there are any disparities in the acceptance rate into the docket as well as graduation rates. "Recovery courts take into consideration if you can get this person stable and get them the resources before they leave, it is likely going to prevent them from coming back in contact with the criminal justice system. It is very important because it is very smart on crime and is actually helping our recidivism rate. It is making us safe and it’s along changing the way that people view the criminal justice system overall." — Honorable Judge Bugg, Fairfax County District Court Could you share a success story? An individual never imagined they’d end up in the criminal justice system. Diagnosed with Bipolar I Disorder in their early 20s, they had long managed their illness with medication, therapy, and family support. They were thriving — a devoted parent, successful in their job, and grounded in a full life. But when a change in insurance made their medication unaffordable, they stopped taking it, thinking they’d be okay. Within weeks, they spiraled into a manic and psychotic episode, losing their job, home, custody of their children and, ultimately, facing serious criminal charges. Instead of traditional prosecution, they were offered a chance through the Mental Health Docket: intensive treatment, supervision and regular court check-ins with the promise that their charges would be dismissed upon successful completion. At first, they were overwhelmed and full of shame. But step by step, with the support of their team and the court, they began to rebuild. They found work, reconnected with their family, and rediscovered joy — even their sense of humor. By the end of their time in the program, they would have the whole courtroom howling with laughter as they shared jokes. When they graduated, their charges were dismissed. Today, they are stable, actively engaging in treatment, have regained joint custody of their children, maintain stability, and work full time. As a proud graduate, they now support others in the program on their journey, proving that with the right help, recovery is possible.

Criminal behavior that results in charges can sometimes stem from the challenges associated with substance use and mental health issues. Often times, these behaviors occur when a substance use or mental health issue goes undiagnosed and untreated. To  reduce these incidents and support the health and wellness of individuals in the community, the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board (CSB) supports three specialty dockets in collaboration with, the Fairfax County Courts, the Office of the Fairfax Commonwealth’s Attorney (OCA), the Fairfax Office of the Public Defender, Virginia State Probation, Fairfax County Court Services, and the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Department.   These programs offer individuals the opportunity to engage in behavioral health services as an alternative to incarceration. The three specialty courts include Recovery Court, Veterans Treatment Docket, and the Mental Health Docket. According to the Adult Treatment Court Best Practice Standards, these courts should not be adversarial like the regular court system, but are collaborative spaces where prosecutors, defense, and a judge are all on the same side to provide defendants the help they need. Specialty Dockets aim to reduce recidivism, improve positive client outcomes, enhance public safety, and empower participants to change their own lives through engaging in an evidence-based recovery journey. Specialty Dockets aim to reduce recidivism, improve positive client outcomes, enhance public safety, and empower participants to change their own lives through engaging in an evidence-based recovery journey. The CSB supports these dockets in multiple ways.  They provide staff in the roles of Docket Coordinator (Behavioral Health Supervisor) and Treatment Coordinator (Behavioral Health Senior Clinician).   The Docket Coordinator is the administrative lead of a docket team. One of the major roles of this position is to oversee the referral and entry process which includes determining eligibility through the use of evidence-based screening tools which determine both criminogenic risk and level of treatment need.   To be eligible for most of the dockets an individual must have both high criminogenic risk and high treatment needs.  The Treatment Coordinator serves as a care coordinator and liaison between the participant’s behavioral health treatment providers and the other agency team members including the judges.   Both positions also provide case management support as needed as well as facilitate evidence-based groups such as MRT and Seeking Safety for docket participants.  The Mental Health Docket also has a Behavioral Health Specialist I who provides skill building services and supports care coordination efforts.   In addition to directly staffing the docket teams, the CSB acts as a treatment provider for many participants of the Specialty Dockets. Participants are involved in various CSB programs including residential treatment, Behavioral Health Outpatient Programs, the Addiction Medicine Clinic, Turning Point, Intensive Case Management and Assertive Community Treatment. Who Qualifies for the Specialty Dockets? Individuals with charge(s) in Fairfax County. Event(s) that lead to the charge(s) were the result of symptoms associated with an underlying substance use disorder (SUD) or serious mental illness (SMI). Individuals assessed to meet high risk of criminal recidivism and high treatment needs by a validated assessment tool. (The Veterans Treatment Docket also has a low criminogenic risk/high treatment need track.) Office of the Commonwealth Attorney approves for legal eligibility. Individuals must be willing to undergo intensive treatment and supervision for their SUD or SMI as opposed to following the traditional approach to the legal process in exchange for reduced or dismissed charges at program completion. For Recovery Court and Mental Health Dockets, must be a Fairfax County Resident. Recovery Court The Recovery Court launched in Circuit Court in 2018 and expanded with a second track in August 2024. The program now includes two age-specific treatment tracks to create  a more relevant group experience for participants: the 18-25-Year-Old Track and the 26-Year-Old and Older Track. This program has a minimum requirement of 14 months to complete the five phases of the program though the length may vary   depending on individual progress and  the choices made during the program. The average length of treatment in the Recovery Court is 18 months. Participants must also be working on and making progress towards individual treatment goals within each phase. The Recovery Court has served 90 individuals and 29 of those individuals have successfully completed the program. Recovery Court (formerly known as the Adult Drug Treatment Court) enhances public safety through cost-effective, research-based interventions that prioritize rehabilitation over incarceration. Mental Health Docket The Mental Health Docket or Mental Health Court was established in July 2019. In order to be eligible to participate in this docket, an individual must be diagnosed with a serious mental illness as defined by DSM-5 and determined to show a likely connection between the treatment-based mental illness and their criminal behavior. The program length ranges from 12 to 24 months but can take longer depending on treatment-based progress. There are four phases, and the individual must meet individualized treatment-based goals in order to advance through the phases. Since its launch, the Mental Health Docket has served 71 total individuals, 37 of whom have successfully completed the program. The Fairfax County Mental Health Docket aims to divert eligible defendants with diagnosed mental health disorders into judicially supervised, community-based treatment, designed and implemented by a team of court staff, including Probation Officers, and mental health professionals. Veterans Treatment Docket The Veterans Treatment Docket was established in February 2015 to serve eligible individuals identified as high risk and high need. Over time, the treatment team noticed that there was a portion of the population that would benefit from services associated with the docket but were not meeting the high risk – high need qualification. In July 2022, the Low Risk – High Need track was started in an effort to increase the reach to those individuals who qualify. To participate in the Veterans Treatment Docket, an individual must be discharged from any branch of the United States military, the reserves, or the National Guard. Additionally, they must meet criteria for a major mental health and/or substance use disorder. Since its inception, the Veterans Treatment Docket has served a total of 93 individuals, with 65 successfully completing the program. The mission of the Fairfax County Veterans Treatment Docket is to serve justice-involved veterans and the community. The docket aims to return productive, law abiding veterans to our community, reduce recidivism and improve public safety by providing individualized comprehensive treatment and supervision responsive to veterans’ unique strengths, needs and culture. Attend a Docket Graduation Each of the Dockets host graduation ceremonies that are open to the public and feature recognition of graduates, guest speakers, and light refreshments. The Veterans Treatment Docket will be hosting a graduation on Thursday, June 12, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. in Courtroom 5J of the Fairfax County Courthouse, featuring Brigadier General Stephen D. Mundt U.S. Army (Ret.) as the guest speaker. To stay up to date on future graduations, follow the CSB on social media. To Access CSB Services To access any of the above-mentioned services, call 703-383-8500 (TTY 711). Multilingual staff are available at CSB locations, including at community-based sites and youth medication-assisted treatment clinics. Staff at the CSB Entry & Referral Call Center can take calls in English and Spanish, and language translation services for other languages are available by telephone when needed. For CSB Non-Emergency Behavioral Health Services, call CSB Entry & Referral at 703-383-8500 TTY 771, Monday-Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You may also walk-in at the Sharon Bulova Center for Community Health Monday-Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and Friday 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. For emergency mental health or substance use services, walk-in services are available 24/7 at the Sharon Bulova Center for Community Health or call 703-573-5679 TTY 711. If someone with a developmental disability is experiencing a mental health or substance abuse crisis, call REACH, a 24/7 regional crisis stabilization and crisis prevention service for children, youth and adults with developmental disabilities, at 855-897-8278. If you or someone you know is experiencing a substance use crisis, call the Fairfax Detoxification Center 24/7 at 703-502-7000, TTY 703-322-9080.

Ideally, a youth receiving support from the CSB’s Youth and Family Services Team feels better due to those services and interventions. Behaviors will have stabilized, and the youth will have improved their level of functioning in all areas of their life — at home, in school and in their community. - Christine Heaton, LPC, LMFT, Manager – Youth & Family Outpatient Services, Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board About Youth and Family Services The CSB Youth and Family Services Team provides a variety of behavioral health services for individuals ages 3-18 and their families. Youth and Family Outpatient Services provides evidence-based interventions and trauma-informed therapeutic supports for children and youth who have an emotional disability or are at risk of one, mental health concerns, substance misuse and/or co-occurring disorders. Services include individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy and case management, as needed. Psychiatric evaluations and medication management services are also available. There are Youth Medication-Assisted Treatment clinics that can help with substance use issues, including the use of opioids. Services are tailored to address the needs of each individual and are provided in an office setting or through telehealth. Services target specific mental health conditions to reduce symptoms and substance misuse, and focus on behavioral changes, coping strategies and improving the individual’s level of functioning. In addition to CSB locations, Outpatient Services are also now also co-located in 3 County Community Centers. The Juvenile Forensic Program provides services to youth involved with the Fairfax Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court. Services include psychological evaluations, mental health and substance abuse assessments, case management and treatment. The program staff serves the Juvenile Detention Center, Shelter Care II, Stepping Stones, Foundations, and the Beta Program. The Youth Intensive Program hosts the Resource Team and Wraparound Services.  Staff attend multi-agency meetings to provide behavioral health guidance and expertise to families. Staff help meeting participants understand options available for youth who have significant mental health and/or substance use issues and help match services and supports to family needs. Depending on the youth and family’s needs, staff may provide help in accessing Comprehensive Services Act (CSA) services for both community-based services and out-of-the-home placements through a team based planning process. Services are provided to youth with high risk/acute needs, or those who are at risk of out-of-home placements, such as those who have been hospitalized frequently, as well as those who may be in need of a residential placement or those returning from a residential placement. Who in the community is eligible and where do they go for assistance? Any youth residing in Fairfax County or the cities of Fairfax or Falls Church, between the ages of 3-18 (or older if still in a Fairfax County or Falls Church school), are eligible to complete a screening and assessments to assess behavioral health needs. Access varies based on the services. The best way to learn more is to contact CSB’s Entry and Referral Services. What are the outcomes or improvements in people’s lives after they have received services?? Ideally, a youth receiving services from the CSB’s Youth and Family Services Team feels better due to those services and interventions. Behaviors will have stabilized, and the youth will have improved their level of functioning in all areas of their life—at home, in school and in their community. Individuals’ mental health will have improved, and the youth has more tolerance for challenging moments and the coping skills to get them through those times. Families will have received support navigating systems and services, and obtained help accessing the supports they need. Could you share some stories of successes? Success in behavioral health comes in many ways. A child had experienced a home invasion trauma. After participating in play therapy for 6 months, they were no longer fearful at night and felt safe again. The Youth and Family Resource Team worked with a youth who experienced several non-fatal opioid overdoses. The Case Manager was able to access CSA funds and helped the youth get into a treatment program all the way in Michigan! They did well there and completed the program. They are still sober. During their first session receiving CSB Outpatient Services, a teenager shared that the CSB clinician was their seventh therapist and that they believed there would be an eighth. The clinician worked closely with them and maintained a productive relationship. Through their sessions, the teenager discovered their substance misuse had been self-medicating their depression. The teenager worked with the CSB clinician to successfully develop new coping skills and reduce their mental health symptoms.