The Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board (CSB) began offering same day, in-person screening for mental health and/or substance use concerns to adults in July 2015 and has now extended same day access service to youth. The official launch date for youth walk-in service is February 1, 2017.

Individuals of any age seeking help for a mental health and/or substance use concern, may walk in, without appointment, to the CSB’s Merrifield Center and speak with a staff member face-to-face, rather than initiating contact over the phone. If the individual appears to qualify for a CSB services, they may be able to receive a more in-depth assessment for services that same day. Each CSB assessment clinician is trained to assess for substance use disorders as well as mental health and co-occurring disorders.

Same day access is considered a best practice in behavioral health, and the CSB staff has worked diligently to make this system change. Fairfax County Public Schools as well as the County’s Department of Family Services and other agencies began referring families and youth to the CSB for same day walk- in services on November 1, 2016, as a “soft launch” for the service. So far, 158 young people have sought screenings and/or assessments since that date. Staff has identified that the busiest times are between 8:30 a.m.-10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.-3 p.m.

Often when people recognize that they need help, there may be a brief window of time when a person is willing to track down and receive help. If a person has to wait too long for services, the chance to help may be lost.

If a family and/or individual prefer to schedule an appointment for a screening or assessment, they may still do so by contacting 703-383-8500.

For more information, contact the CSB at 703-383-8500 (M-F, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.). In an emergency, call CSB Emergency Services at 703-573-5679 (answered 24/7).

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Interested in learning more about youth mental health? Take CSB’s Youth Mental Health First Aid. The course will help you better understand mental illnesses; learn how to help a young person experiencing a crisis. Register for an upcoming class today..