May is Mental Health Awareness Month and help is available for people of any age with mental health concerns. It’s never too late to focus on wellness and reduce stress. The impact of mental health on physical health can be significant, and the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board (CSB) has many resources available to support everyone in living a healthy and fulfilling life.

Getting help or supporting a loved one who is struggling with mental health challenges can feel overwhelming. The warning signs are not always obvious, but you can learn how to recognize them and what to do if you observe them.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, some warning signs include, but are not limited to:

• Changes in sleeping habits or feeling tired and low energy.

• Excessive worry or fear.

• Trouble concentrating or making basic decisions.

• Peculiar behavior or avoiding friends and social activities.

• Thoughts of self-harm.

• Negative self-talk.

The CSB has free online training courses and tools for all residents of Fairfax County and the cities of Falls Church and Fairfax. They include:

1. A Mental Health First Aid training course can help individuals understand mental illnesses, seek timely intervention and save lives. The course has a fee of $25, with limited stipends available.

   This program teaches participants how to help people who are experiencing a mental health concern, or potentially could be, and offers ways to:

   • Assess for risk of suicide or harm.

   • Listen nonjudgmentally.

   • Give reassurance and information.

   • Encourage appropriate professional help.

   • Encourage self-help and other supports.

2. Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR) is a suicide prevention training explaining three simple yet powerful steps anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. The training teaches you to recognize the warning signs of suicide, ask tough questions and offer hope, and get help to save a life.

3. Lock and Talk trainings can help prevent suicide by safely securing and storing firearms and poisons, including medications that can be misused. These steps are known as lethal means safety and can also help prevent accidental drug overdoses. The CSB has a limited supply of free locking medication boxes and trigger locks that fit a wide variety of firearms.

4. Take a confidential online mental health screening. Completing an anonymous screenings can help you determine if your recent thoughts or behaviors may be associated with a common, treatable mental health issue.

5. Practicing healthy self-care strategies can improve your mental health.

   • Exercise. Even a small amount can make a big difference in your day.

   • Connect with someone. Make a phone call or visit with a friend or family member.

   • Start a cycle of encouragement. Tell others what you appreciate about them.

   • Listen to music that inspires and motivates you.

   • Write a poem about a subject you care deeply about or an article on a topic you find interesting.

For more information on how Fairfax County is recognizing Mental Health Awareness Month, there is a Fairfax County Government NewsCenter article that highlights tips, events and resources.

To Access CSB Services

• 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.