Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board

Finding mental health and/or substance use help for youth can be overwhelming. With so many kinds of resources available, it can be hard to know where to start. Fairfax County has a free, new tool to help young people and their families find assistance: Youth Care Navigation Services. Developed under the county’s Healthy Minds Fairfax program, Youth Care Navigation Services help families of children, teens and young adults up to age 25, navigate the process of finding appropriate mental health and substance use treatment services. Combining personal support from trained specialists with a specialized online self-help resource search engine, the county's initiative aims to reduce barriers for families seeking care. Making Sense of a Complicated System Based on several years of data about behavioral health concerns among Fairfax County youth, the Board of Supervisors convened a diverse group of stakeholders to recommend ways to address the issue. Among the main themes to emerge from that discussion was that too often, young people and their families did not know where to turn for help or how to access it. Mental health and substance use treatment options may appear fragmented, leaving families struggling to discover which services are available where, which providers accept their insurance, and which kinds of help are best suited for their child’s circumstances. Youth Care Navigation services aim to connect families to the appropriate care as quickly and effectively as possible. What Youth Care Navigation Services Offer There are two tools available: The opportunity to connect with a personal Care Navigator, and A localized online search engine that helps to identify providers and resources. The combination of human expertise and technology provides flexibility, recognizing that different families may prefer different approaches to finding help. These resources are available to people who live in Fairfax County and the cities of Fairfax or Falls Church at no cost. Care Navigators The personal Care Navigation service connects families directly to trained specialists, known as Care Navigators. These professionals help assess a family’s specific needs, identify available local resources, and assist in breaking down barriers such as insurance or logistical challenges. Care Navigators: Work with families to develop individualized action plans tailored to the particular mental health or substance use concern. Provide curated recommendations for local providers, focusing on compatibility in terms of medical specialties, proximity, insurance acceptance, language preferences, and cultural considerations. Speak English, Spanish and Arabic. Interpreters are also available for other languages. To connect with a Care Navigator, call 703-468-0040 or email youthcarenav@hopelinkbh.org. Learn More About Care Navigation    Online Self-Help Resources Search Tool For those who prefer to explore options independently, there is also an online search engine powered by the find help platform. This easy-to-use website allows users to explore a range of providers, treatment options and mental health tools in the community. Families can filter search results by various criteria, including location, age group, type of treatment needed, and whether insurance is accepted. The combination of these services provides options for families in different circumstances, whether they prefer to call and speak to a specialist or simply want to explore locally available resources on their own. By pairing technology with compassionate, hands-on care, these care navigation tools deliver a lifeline to families in need. Find Help   Community Support for Families in Need In working to provide resources that make it easier for families to get help when they need it most, Healthy Minds Fairfax aims to build hope and resilience in the community. Facing mental health or substance use challenges may feel overwhelming. Youth Care Navigation Services help to ensure that no family has to face the challenges alone.   Contact Information For media inquiries, contact CSBCommunications@fairfaxcounty.gov.

Life can be unpredictable, and for some of us, unforeseen challenges can lead to emotional strain or moments of crisis. In those times, knowing who to turn to can make a big difference. The Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board (CSB) is here to ensure that no one has to face a crisis alone. With compassionate, accessible and comprehensive services, the CSB is a lifeline for individuals and families navigating mental health and substance use challenges. Whether you’re supporting a loved one or experiencing a crisis yourself, here’s what you need to know about CSB’s Crisis Services. About Crisis Services Crisis services are designed to provide immediate support to individuals experiencing a mental health or substance use emergency. Sometimes, crises happen suddenly, such as suicidal thoughts or an overdose. In other cases, they might stem from ongoing struggles that feel overwhelming. Fairfax County’s CSB offers a network of resources to help individuals stabilize and find a path forward. These services are confidential and available to anyone in need—because everyone deserves help when it matters most. Immediate Crisis Services Fairfax County CSB provides a variety of crisis intervention options to meet people where they are, both physically and emotionally. For life-threatening emergencies, it is critical that you dial 911.   For other serious situations that need immediate assistance, the CSB offers support to make sure you have someone to talk to, someone who can respond to you, and somewhere for you to go. Someone To Talk To Whether you’re dealing with a mental health crisis, a substance use emergency, or simply need someone to talk to, trained counselors are just a phone call away. Contact the 988 Lifeline, answered locally by the Northern Virginia Crisis Call Center. This confidential hotline is available 24/7 to connect individuals with trained professionals who can provide immediate support. How to Reach 988: Call or Text 988. You can also call the local direct line at 703-527-4077. Chat 988lifeline.org Someone To Respond When you call 988 or 911 and ask for an in-person visit for additional support, a mobile team can be dispatched to you.  Here is who may respond: Mobile Crisis Teams: Mental Health Professionals Only. When you call the 988 Crisis Call Center in Northern Virginia and desire an in-person response, a mobile team can be dispatched to you within an hour.  The CSB operates a separate Mobile Crisis Unit that provides on-scene evaluation and crisis intervention services for individuals who are experiencing a mental health emergency and who need mental health treatment but are unwilling or unable to seek support. Co-Responder Teams: Mental Health Professional & Police Officer. The Co-Responder Team pairs a Crisis Intervention Team trained police officer with a CSB Crisis Intervention Specialist to respond to public safety calls that are related to behavioral health issues. One of the goals of this program is to divert community members from hospitalization, arrest or incarceration. Co-Responder Teams respond to calls made to 911.  Crisis Intervention Trained Police. Crisis Intervention Training is a 40-hour class that certifies public safety personnel, like police officers and Sheriff’s deputies, with skills that improve the criminal justice system response to individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis or those with a mental illness or developmental disability. These officers and deputies have been trained to manage interactions with individuals in crisis. How to Request Support Call 911 for life-threatening emergencies, ask for a CIT officer.  For non-life-threatening emergencies:  When you are seeking in-person help for yourself or someone else, call the 988 Crisis Call Center in Northern Virginia directly at 703-527-4077.    If you are seeking help for a family member or loved one who may be resistant to receiving help, call the CSB Mobile Crisis Unit at 703-573-5679 TTY 711. If someone with a developmental disability is experiencing a mental health or substance abuse crisis, call REACH at 855-897-8278. Somewhere To Go 24/7 Walk-in Services at the Sharon Bulova Center for Community Health When you come to CSB Emergency Services at the Sharon Bulova Center for Community Health, you can expect to be seen by a compassionate clinician who will assess the risk of the situation and help you get the services you need. This may include medication, detoxification, or in some cases, hospitalization at another facility. The Bulova Center is not a hospital; people do not stay there. It can be considered similar to urgent care for mental health and substance use concerns. Go to: Lower-Level Emergency Services Entrance located at 8221 Willow Oaks Corporate Drive, Fairfax, Virginia, 22031 Non-Emergency Crisis Services The CSB also provides additional specialized crisis services: 1. Detoxification & Substance Use Support For individuals experiencing a substance use crisis, Fairfax Detoxification Services offer medical support and care to safely manage withdrawal and begin recovery. The CSB works closely with individuals to connect them with resources for ongoing treatment. 2. Crisis Stabilization and Short-Term Residential Programs For those needing more intensive support, CSB provides short-term residential programs designed to stabilize mental health crises in a safe, structured environment. These programs aim to reduce the need for hospitalization while addressing immediate concerns. 3. Intellectual or Developmental Disability Crisis Services Regional, Education, Assessment, Crisis Services, Habilitation (REACH) provides mobile crisis response services to children, youth and adults with developmental disabilities and their families. REACH aims to improve the quality of life and decrease facility placements and/or inpatient hospitalization. Access CSB Resources Life may have challenges, but support is always available. For CSB Non-Emergency Behavioral Health Services, call CSB Entry & Referral at 703-383-8500 TTY 771, to speak with someone who can help connect you to the right resources. Call Monday-Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 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. Healing is Possible The CSB understands that reaching out for help can feel overwhelming, but our team is here to make the process as simple and supportive as possible. Seeking help is not a sign of failure, it’s a courageous step toward healing and hope. Contact Information For media inquiries, contact CSBCommunications@fairfaxcounty.gov.

988 is a three-digit number that routes callers to the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Read more below to learn about this vital service. What is 988? 988 is an easy-to-remember number to call or text to connect to immediate emotional support. The support is provided by trained professionals who listen without judgement and offer local resources to assist you. 988 is free, confidential and available 24/7/365. It is active in Fairfax County and across the United States. If you are more comfortable chatting online, 988 support is also available at www.988lifeline.org/chat. What’s the difference between 988 and 911? At 988, you speak to a trained crisis worker whose focus is to provide you with calming support and resources. The crisis worker is available to listen and talk with you for as long as needed.  At 911, you speak to a trained public safety telecommunicator whose focus is dispatching public safety assistance for life-threatening or medical emergencies or when there is a crime in progress or a fire.  When appropriate, 911 may direct callers to 988 for emotional support.   Who can use 988? Anyone can use 988, whether you’re struggling yourself or worried about someone you love. 988 is standing by and ready to help you with: Addictions Anxiety Bullying Depression Discrimination Emotional Distress Family Issues Financial Issues Physical Health Physical, Sexual and/or Emotional Abuse Problems in School Relationship Issues Self-harm Stress Someone Else’s Safety What should I expect when I contact 988? When you call, text or chat 988, you will always be connected to a live professional whose focus is listening to you without judgement and seeking to understand how your concerns are affecting you and what resources could potentially help you. Learn more about what to expect when you call, text or chat 988. Will I talk to a real person on 988?  When you contact 988, a real person, from HopeLink Behavioral Health will likely be on the other end of the line, not AI. HopeLink is one of over 200 crisis call centers across the United States that form the 988 Lifeline network. HopeLink’s Crisis Call Center for 988 is headquartered in Fairfax County and funded by the state. HopeLink and Fairfax County have partnered to ensure coordinated and quality 988 services for Fairfax County residents. The partnership also includes public safety agencies and the CSB. These agencies work together in a coordinated behavioral health crisis response system to get you connected to the right help at the right time. NOTE: When you contact 988, the 988 Center that you are connected to is dependent on your phone carrier. If your phone carrier is one of the large national carriers (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile) or your phone number has a 703 or 571 area code, it is likely that you will be connected to HopeLink’s local 988 Crisis Call Center in Fairfax County, but it is not guaranteed. Every 988 Center across the country has trained professionals to help you, but to guarantee contact with HopeLink’s 988 Crisis Call Center in Fairfax County, contact them directly by calling 703-527-4077. What is the impact of 988 in our community? 988 is making a real difference in Fairfax County. It’s an important part of our behavioral health crisis response system. The partnership between Fairfax 911 and 988 has made a meaningful difference. Here is just one example of a call that began with Fairfax 911 and, through collaboration, received crucial support from 988: A caller to Fairfax 911 reported anxiety, likely a panic attack, and was seeking someone to talk to since their doctor was unavailable. After confirming there was no life-threatening emergency, 911 connected the caller to HopeLink’s 988 Crisis Call Center. A 988 crisis worker completed a risk assessment and provided emotional support through validation, coping strategies and breathing exercises. The caller expressed gratitude for having compassionate help available in the middle of the night. Is there somewhere I can go instead of calling 988?  The CSB offers you a place to go when you need help. Assistance is available for concerns related to mental health, substance use or an intellectual or developmental disability.   Emergency and non-emergency services are available at the Sharon Bulova Center for Community Health, 8221 Willow Oaks Corporate Drive, Fairfax, VA 22031. Learn more about navigating crisis services.

We are pleased to announce the release of the Fairfax-Falls Church CSB Strategic Plan for FY2026–2028. The plan will be implemented over the course of the next three years. Click the image above to read the CSB's FY 2026 - FY 2028 Strategic Plan. This strategic plan is the end product of nearly a year of thoughtful engagement and reflects input from nearly 1,000 stakeholders. This comprehensive review, and data analysis, resulted in five strategic goals that form the foundation of this strategic plan: Increase awareness of services to improve individuals’ access to CSB, community behavioral healthcare and developmental disability services Ensure high-quality, equitable service delivery to all individuals, including diverse and multicultural populations Enhance positive work culture to foster engagement and retention Expand the use of data to support decision-making, track progress, and report on goals and outcomes Improve our business practices to become more efficient, maximize services, optimize revenue streams and maintain quality The feedback that led to this strategic plan was both candid and affirming. We received high marks for strong leadership, dedicated staff and meaningful collaboration with our community partners to deliver essential services. While we are proud of this positive feedback, we remain committed to continuous quality improvement that is essential to ensuring our programs and services evolve to meet the changing needs of our community. That commitment is at the heart of this strategic plan. It provides a clear roadmap for focused, intentional action across the organization as we work to serve all our clients efficiently and in ways consistent with our values. We will also continue to foster collaborative relationships with our partners to expand the collective reach of our services. CSB Executive Director Daryl Washington remarked that, “[o]ur vision to ensure everyone has the support needed to live a healthy, fulfilling life remains steadfast. This strategic plan will provide further direction for the CSB to continue to provide quality services while remaining agile enough to adapt to the evolving needs of the community and meet challenges we may face along the way.” Our programs and services are aligned with the Countywide Strategic Plan (June 2025 revision) which centers on 10 community outcome areas that reflect the priorities most important to county residents. The CSB’s work primarily falls within two areas: Empowerment and Support for Residents Facing Vulnerability and Healthy Communities. Read the full CSB Strategic Plan for FY26–28.