If your teen is living with a mental health condition, one of the hardest parts can be working out where to go for help. You may have heard someone mention a Community Services Board, or maybe you’ve come across the term while searching for support. If so, you might be wondering what a Virginia CSB offers, or how to get the process started.
To help, this guide covers:
A Community Services Board in Virginia sounds official and maybe even a little confusing, but the idea behind the service is simple enough. A CSB is your local public gateway to mental health care in Virginia.
Think of a CSB as the front door to the support your Virginia community offers for mental health, but also the point of contact for issues related to substance use or any developmental needs you may have.
There are 40 CSBs across the state that cover all 133 cities and counties, with each acting as the primary public entry point for its local area.[1]
Because CSBs are run locally, the exact services can look slightly different depending on where you live. But the important thing to know, especially as a parent, is that your CSB is the place to start when you’re not sure where else to turn.
Parents should also note that it’s a service you can reach out to on your own. You don’t need a referral from your doctor or anyone else.
The services a Community Services Board in Virginia offers cover plenty of ground, and much of what they offer has child or adolescent needs in mind. Virginia requires every CSB to provide nine core services, which include same-day access, outpatient care, case management, and family support.[2]
The youth CSB services on offer might include:
The CSB mental health services offered vary from one locality to the next, so contacting your local CSB Virginia and asking any questions you may have is a good idea.[3]
Parents may also have questions about whether their teen can consent to treatment without their knowledge. In Virginia, a young person is allowed to consent to their own outpatient mental health treatment.[4] The principle is that a teen who needs help should be able to get it.
Virginia law generally gives parents the right to see their child’s health records. However, different rules apply when a minor independently consents to outpatient mental health treatment. In that case, the minor is treated as an adult for the purpose of accessing records related to that treatment. Access may also be denied if the clinician treating your teen determines that sharing the records would likely cause your child serious harm.[5]
It’s important to note, though, that the CSBs want families involved as much as possible, because teens usually do better throughout the process with support from their families.
Getting started with a Community Services Board in Virginia often begins with finding your local CSB. To help you with this, Virginia keeps a directory of all 40 boards, so you can look up the one that covers your area.[6]
From there, most CSBs operate on a principle of same-day access, so you can walk in or call to get started with an initial assessment.[2][7] A more comprehensive, clinical assessment can then be scheduled according to need. Although the walk-in option is available, it’s advisable to contact your local CSB to get specific details on opening times and last intakes on any given day.[7]
The first proper step toward getting the right help for your teen is an assessment, which you might also hear called a CSB evaluation in Virginia. If that word sounds slightly worrying, it can settle the nerves to know what actually happens, because in reality, this assessment is really just a conversation.
A clinician will sit down with you and your teen to get a sense of what they’re experiencing and what they might be dealing with. They’ll ask about:[8]
This can take a few hours, but this is a good thing, as the goal is to understand your teen’s entire story, rather than rush to put a label on anything.[8]
Once the assessment is done, the clinician will then recommend the level of care right for your teen’s situation. This could be regular outpatient therapy, or it might be something more intensive if the situation calls for it.[8] Whatever the outcome is, CSB psychiatric services ensure you leave with a much clearer idea of what your teen needs and where to go from here.
Cost is often one of the main worries parents have, but the reassuring news is that Community Services Boards in Virginia are built to be within reach regardless of your financial situation.
CSBs take Medicaid and other insurance, and for families paying out of pocket, some CSBs offer a sliding fee scale based on what you can afford.[9] Remember, you won’t be turned away from support because you can’t afford to pay.
In many cases, the cost may come to little or nothing because Virginia’s Medicaid and FAMIS (Family Access to Medical Insurance Security Plan) programs give eligible children no-cost coverage. This coverage includes mental health care, with no premiums or copays for the services it covers.[10]
If you’re unsure whether your teen qualifies, your local CSB can answer any questions you may have.
Mission Prep is here to help you or your loved one take the next steps towards an improved mental well-being.
A CSB is a strong first call, especially as they’re local, open to anyone who needs it, and can point your teen in the right direction of care quickly. It’s the Virginia community mental health safety net built exactly for these types of situations, and for plenty of families, it’s all they need.
However, there are limits to what the service can provide. For example, the same-day access has cut the long waits families used to face, but in reality, the ongoing appointments that follow can still take time, especially for young people who need therapy.[11] The demand can be high, and in some areas, staffing may be stretched thin.[11]
That’s why many families may not treat it as an either-or, and instead use a CSB alongside other options. One of those other options could be a private provider, which offers shorter waits and a specific focus on treating teens.
If a CSB assessment identifies the need for more focused support, it’s worth understanding what a specialist adolescent program looks like. These are private services built specifically for teens, rather than treating all ages under one roof.
In these types of programs, a teen might have their own therapist and a mentor working together as one team, instead of being passed between different services. The care provided has different levels, such as residential treatment for teens who need more intensive support and outpatient programs for those ready for more independence.
A good teen specialist program will also offer:
If you’re a parent weighing up the options, it’s good to know the other treatment routes that are available.
Take a tour of our teen residential mental health facilities located in Virginia. Our locations offer peace & comfort within a residential environment where teenagers, aged 12-17, can relax and focus on themselves.
Our well-appointed facilities are located in Waterford & Leesburg and serve communities in Northern Virginia, DC and Maryland.
Additionally, we offer both in-person and virtual outpatient services in Virginia for full support after leaving residential.
At Mission Prep Teen Treatment, we provide personalized mental health treatment programs for teens aged 12 to 17. Whether your teen could benefit from residential treatment at one of our Virginia locations or something more flexible, like an outpatient mental health program delivered virtually, our team can help.
Each teen who walks through our doors is supported by their own therapist and mentor, along with access to a family therapist for the whole family. We draw on evidence-based therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), along with more specialized therapies that help treat more complex cases.
Mission Prep Teen Treatment treats a range of mental health conditions, accepts insurance, and is in-network with most major providers. We are happy to help you check your insurance coverage for mental health care.
Start the admissions process online or call 866-901-4047 to speak with a caring member of our team who can answer any questions you might have. Reach out for a free, no-obligation conversation.
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