The CSB’s staff and contracted services providers include psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, counselors, therapists, case managers, peer specialists and administrative and support personnel. The CSB partners with community organizations, businesses, faith communities, schools and other local agencies to provide needed services. There are no specific income requirements. Fees depend upon individual services.
Acute/therapeutic services include, crisis/emergency response and residential therapeutic treatment services for individuals with serious mental illness. Some services are provided by CSB staff. Others are offered through contracts with local partner organizations. CSB services are provided in a variety of settings throughout the county, including the Merrifield Center (8221 Willow Oaks Corporate Drive in Fairfax) and other offices, group homes and residential settings, and out in the community. The Merrifield Center can be reached by MetroBus [Routes 1Z, 1A and 1C] and Connector bus [Routes 401 and 402].
Fees are charged to offset the cost of providing treatment services. The family is responsible for paying the full fee or a parental co-payment for services not covered by their insurance or another funding source. If families are unable to pay the full fee, they may be eligible for a subsidy and/or an extended payment plan.
Adolescent Day Treatment is available at the Merrifield Center for youth aged 13 to 18 with mental health and/or substance abuse issues, whose treatment needs cannot be met with office visits at an outpatient site. The youth attend five days a week for 3 to 6 months. Fairfax County Public Schools provide an alternative school onsite in the mornings and the youth have therapeutic treatment in the afternoon. For more information, call (703) 599-3000.
The Boys Council is a strengths-based group approach which promotes boys’ and young men’s safe, healthy passage through the pre-teen and adolescent years by meeting the their core developmental need for strong, positive relationships. In a structured environment, members build their capacities to find their own innate value and create good lives. Typically facilitated in schools or summer programs, Boys Council can be conducted at community centers or for other groups of Fairfax County youth. The program is free, usually meets once per week and lasts between 6 and 12 weeks. If you are interested in participating in Boys Council, please contact the CSB Prevention Specialist for your school as shown below.
- The CSB Prevention Specialists for Fairfax County’s public high schools are as follows:
Annandale, Falls Church, Stuart: Lori Naveda, 703-538-3215, Lori.Naveda@fairfaxcounty.gov
Centreville, Oakton, Robinson: Berkeley Gerstner, 703-449-6313, Berkeley.Gerstner@fairfaxcounty.gov
Chantilly, Fairfax, Westfield : Katie Scipione, 703-449-6311, Katharine.Scipione@fairfaxcounty.gov
Edison, Hayfield: Marci Prenger, 703-559-3011, Marcia.Prenger@fairfaxcounty.gov
Herndon, South Lakes: Amanda Pusey, 703-383-8493, Amanda.Pusey@fairfaxcounty.gov
Lake Braddock, Lee: Agustina Bravo, 703-704-6803, Agustina.Bravo@fairfaxcounty.gov
Langley, McLean: Leo Espina Borrero, 703-383-8414, Leonardo.EspinaBorrero@fairfaxcounty.gov
Madison, Marshall: Luz Zuleta, 703-383-8410, Luz.Zuleta@fairfaxcounty.gov)
Mount Vernon, West Potomac: Margee Eife, 703-559-3073, Margee.Eife@fairfaxcounty.gov
South County, West Springfield: Amy Smith, 703-704-6046, Amy.Smith2@fairfaxcounty.gov
Woodson: Alex Marshall, 703-219-2575, Alexander.Marshall@fairfaxcounty.gov
For all other inquiries please contact Jennifer Christy (703-559-3013, Jennifer.Christy@fairfaxcounty.gov).
CSB Emergency Services are available 24/7 at the Merrifield Center, Lower Level [Phone: (703) 573-5679; TTY: 711]. To access non-emergency CSB services during business hours (Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), call CSB Entry & Referral Services at (703) 383-8500 [TTY 711] or visit the Merrifield Center. If a situation is immediately threatening, call 911 and ask for a Crisis Intervention Team Officer.
Family Therapy is an important part of treatment and helps families in working with their children. As part of Family Therapy, there are Outpatient sessions for mental health with individual, group and family therapy offered for children and youth aged 3 to 18 with Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED) or at risk for SED and typically conducted weekly or once every two weeks for 4 to 6 months, or longer when needed. Medication appointments may be part of treatment. Services decrease or cease as improvement occurs and they are no longer needed or if the youth and/or family stops working on treatment goals or no longer desire the sessions. The outpatient sessions take place in five locations, Chantillly, Merrifield, Reston, South County and Springfield.
The Girls Circle is a structured support group for girls who are 9 to 18 years old, which promotes safety and respect for all girls while addressing risk factors. The program integrates relational theory (the need to establish authentic, mural connections with others), resiliency practices, and skills training in a format that is designed to increase positive connection, personal and collective strengths, and competence in girls. Typically facilitated in schools or summer programs, Girls Circle can be conducted at community centers or for other groups of Fairfax County youth. The program is free, usually meets once per week and lasts between 6 and 12 weeks. If you are interested in participating in Girls Circle, please contact the CSB Prevention Specialist for your school as shown above in the section on Boys Council.
Healthy Minds Fairfax offers brief, confidential online screenings to determine if an individual should connect with a mental health professional. http://screening.mentalhealthscreening.org/northern-virginia
The Intensive Care Coordination (ICC) Team works with youth, who are at risk of needing out-of-home placement, and their families to help them obtain needed services so that the youth can continue to live at home. If placement outside of the community is necessary, the ICC team assists those families in developing the supports that are needed to ensure their children’s safe, successful return home. For more information, call (703) 383-8500 [TTY 711]. Staff can take calls in English and Spanish and access other languages when needed.
The Mental Health First Aid course is available to those wondering, “What can I do?” and “Where can someone find help?” In addition to teaching the common warning signs and risk factors for mental health problems, it provides a five-step action plan and resources for assisting someone in crisis. Adult, Youth and Spanish versions of the two day class (a total of 8 hours long) are available. Similar to a regular first aid course, each version utilizes both role-playing and simulations and covers the symptoms for the most frequent mental health disorders (including depression), stressing the importance of early intervention and obtaining professional health. There is a $25.00 materials fee. However, Fairfax County government employees can attend free of charge and scholarships may be available for those in need of financial assistance. Register at https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/hscode/ereg/Registration.aspx?groupID=47. (Customized on-site classes can be requested for groups of 10 or more.)
The Mobile Crisis Unit (MCU) [(703) 573-5679; TTY 711] provides evaluation and crisis intervention in the home of a teenager, who lives in Fairfax County, Fairfax and Falls Church Cities or the towns of Vienna and Herndon and is experiencing a psychiatric episode, and needs, but is unwilling or unable to seek, mental health treatment between 8:00 a.m. and Midnight daily. In many of these situations, there is concern that the youth may be a danger to himself or herself or to others. While the MCU’s goal is to enlist the youth’s cooperation and develop the least restrictive treatment options, the MCU is authorized to recommend and facilitate involuntary hospitalization and treatment when necessary. The MCU also specializes in responding to referrals from the Police, Fire and Rescue service, and other public safety agencies in cases where mental health consultation and intervention are needed. In many situations, the MCU can assume responsibility for the case.
Screenings/assessments for a mental health or substance abuse issue are available Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. and Tuesday between 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. on the Third Floor of the Merrifield Center. To schedule call (703) 338-8500.
Middle and high school-aged youth who have co-occurring mental health and substance abuse issues and their families also may receive Substance use/substance dependency outpatient services, group therapy that is held twice weekly for 10 weeks with additional individual appointments available as needed. The goal of Substance use/substance dependency services is to reduce and then stop a youth’s use of alcohol and/or drugs.
For same-day Walk in Access for Youth come directly to Entry & Referral Services at the Merrifield Center on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Tuesdays from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. You will be able to speak with a staff member face-to-face rather than over the telephone and be screened for services. Busiest times of the day for walk in access are between 8:30 and 10:00 a.m. and 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. Scheduling an appointment may eliminate any potential wait-time. Entry & Referral Services staff, who can take calls in English and Spanish and access other languages when needed, may be reached at (703) 383-8500 [TTY 711] Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.