May has been recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month by Mental Health America since 1949. The purpose is to highlight the importance of mental well-being, educate the public, reduce stigma and promote support for those affected by mental health conditions.

In a continued commitment to supporting mental health in our community, Supervisors Dalia Palchik and Rodney Lusk introduced a request to recognize May 2025 as both Mental Health Awareness Month and Youth Mental Health Awareness Month in Fairfax County. The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the designation. To mark the occasion, Supervisor Palchik will visit the Youth Medication Assisted Treatment (YMAT) clinic on May 19, 2025.  During the visit, she will present the official proclamation recognizing the importance of mental health awareness and the county’s dedication to supporting youth and families.

The Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board (CSB) offers life-changing services to address mental health concerns at any age. With a growing demand for youth mental health support, the CSB’s services for children and adolescents are expanding rapidly to meet the community’s needs. Through its Youth and Family Services Team, the CSB provides evidence-based treatment to individuals ages 3 to 18 in need of behavioral health services. These specialized services include individual and family counseling, psychiatric diagnostic evaluations, medication management, parenting groups, peer support, crisis response, recovery supports to include medication assisted treatment (MAT), intensive services and more.

Youth Medication Assisted Treatment

Youth Medication-Assisted Treatment (YMAT) is the use of FDA-approved medications in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies to treat substance use disorders and prevent opioid overdose. These medications ease withdrawal symptoms and reduce cravings, supporting young people on their path to recovery. In response to the allocation of opioid settlement funds, the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board (CSB) is building upon an already robust offering of services for youth and their families affected by opioid use. One immediate action taken by the CSB was to expand the current YMAT services being offered at the Sharon Bulova Center in Merrifield to extend to the Gerry Hyland Government Center in South County which will, together, serve 150 youth annually.

Community-Based Behavioral Health Services

The CSB’s Youth & Family Community-Based Services Team is reducing barriers to treatment by giving individuals the opportunity to access high-quality, affordable health care and supports in the communities in which they live. Community-based behavioral health services are now available for youth and families at three community centers:

• James Lee Community Center in Falls Church
• Hybla Valley Community Center in Alexandria
• Herndon Resource Center in Herndon

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.