The Arlington County Board on Saturday accepted state funding for mental health services and suicide prevention for those age 17 and younger.
From a county press release:
Arlington has received an additional $200,000 in state funding for a program that provides mobile crisis response and video-conference psychiatric counseling (tele-psychiatry) to children under the age of 18 across the region. The mobile nature of the program means that trained professionals will come to the home of a youth in crisis (or other community location) to provide face-to-face assessment, intervention and support, and coordinate follow-up services.
Arlington County’s Department of Human Services serves as the responsible fiscal agent for the Children’s Regional Crisis Response (CR2), launched in 2015. The program provides mobile crisis response and tele-psychiatry to youth under the age of 18 in Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William, and the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas and Manassas Park. Services to youth and their families are provided under contract by the National Counseling Group, a community mental health organization that works throughout Virginia.
The additional state funding raises the ongoing regional budget for these services to $1.44 million for Fiscal Year 2017. The program is fully state-funded. So far in FY 2017, the program working with an average of 75 youth per month across the service area. Service provision is based on need rather than on a jurisdictional allocation formula.
“This regional program is an important part of our overall range of services for youth,” said County Board Chair Libby Garvey. “It complements the County’s outpatient therapy, case management and psychiatric services by providing rapid response to all youth facing a mental health and/or substance use crisis. I encourage everyone to learn more about the signs and symptoms of a child in crisis and how to get help. You can visit the website at cr2crisis.com.”
The Board unanimously approved accepting the funding. To read the staff report, visit the county website. Scroll down to Item No. 28 on the Agenda for the Saturday, Nov. 5 Regular County Board Meeting.
Where to get help:
- If someone is in immediate danger, call 911
- In need of emergency mental health services? Call Arlington Children’s Behavioral Healthcare Services:
- Emergency Line: 703-228-5160
- General Number: 703-228-1560
- Contact CR2. Visit the website, or call:
- 844-N-Crisis (844-627-4747) or 571-364-7390
Additional resources
Worried your child may attempt suicide/self-harm? Not sure what to do? Call:
- Crisis Link Regional Hot Line: 703-527-4077
- National Hope Line: 1-800-SUICIDE
- LGBTQ Lifeline: 1-866-488-7386
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK
- Text: CONNECT to 85511