Virginia Beach Treatment Centers

Virginia Beach, VA, addresses its drug and alcohol and other substance abuse problems through the Mental Health Substance Abuse Division (MHSAD) of the Human Services Department. They coordinate the services of those who work with those who suffer from an addiction or dependency and their families, and also with those who are at risk of developing an addiction or dependency, and those with co-occurring mental health disorders. People with addiction problems to any kind of substance can find help through the MHSAD, where they will be signposted to community efforts that collaborate with each other to improve outcomes.

Prevention

The MHSAD runs a number of specific prevention programs, including:

• Celebrating Families!
• Community Prevention
• Families and Schools Together (FAST)
• HIV Services
• Navigators
• The Substance Abuse Intervention Program (SAIP)

Crisis Response

Virginia Beach also offers crisis response services. Specifically, they offer:

• Emergency services
• The Crisis Stabilization Program
• Crisis Intervention Teams (CITs)

Residential Treatment

Those who need it will be sent to residential facilities for detox and rehab treatment. The focus in Virginia Beach is strongly on residential treatment, rather than outpatient treatment, because these centers have far better results. The MHSAD supports two specific residential programs:

1. Supportive Residential Services (SRS)
2. Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH)

Various private treatment centers also exist in Virginia Beach, VA. Some of those operate on an outpatient basis, others are residential. What this demonstrates is that there are choices available to those who want to address their substance abuse issue.

Correctional Services

Like in many other parts of the country, Virginia Beach is trying to decriminalize drug abuse, seeing it instead as a treatable disease. However, treatment does have to be provided, and this is often court-ordered. The city offers a number of specific correctional services, including:

• Jail Educational Services
• Forensic Services
• Community Corrections
• Pretrial Services

Focus on Families and Children

It is, by now, well-understood that the younger people are when they are first exposed to drugs and/or alcohol, the more likely they are to develop a dependency. To prevent this, Virginia Beach has put in place a number of educational and intervention programs, including:

• After-School Therapeutic Day Treatment (ASTDT)
• Case Management
• Youth Mobile Crisis Intervention
• Intensive Care Coordination
• The Intensive Substance Abuse Group (ISAG)
• Intensive In-home Services
• The Outpatient Juvenile Sex Offender Treatment Program
• Outpatient Services
• The Virginia Independent Clinical Assessment Program (VICAP)

Rehabilitation

The efforts above are strongly focused on prevention and education. However, Virginia Beach understands that some people will not have been reached in time by those efforts, and that they now require more structured rehabilitation instead. Because of this, the MHSAD supports a number of rehab efforts as well, including:

• Adult Outpatient Services
• Adult Day Treatment
• Beach House, who offer work ordered day activities
• The Harbour
• The Pathways Center at Birdneck Circle
• The Senior Resource Center
• Senior Respite Care

By acting as a coordinating role across the spectrum and continuum of addiction prevention and treatment, Virginia Beach aims to make the greatest difference in the lives of its residents, their families, and the community at large.