Concerned Fairfax
an advocacy group of NAMI Northern Virginia
We are a group of people living and working in Fairfax County and the Cities of Fairfax and Falls Church who are working together
to promote changes that will provide a better quality of life for individuals living with a mental health condition.
to promote changes that will provide a better quality of life for individuals living with a mental health condition.
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Concerned Fairfax Monthly MEETINGS
Day/Time: 2nd Monday of the month; 7:00-8:30pm Location: Merrifield Center 8221 Willow Oaks Corporate Drive, Fairfax, Virginia 22031 Directions and Parking: Park on the ground level of the garage (P-3) and enter the building through P-3 level glass doors. Check at reception desk for directions to the room. Join Concerned Fairfax
Send an email and ask to be added to our mailing list: ConcernedFairfax@gmail.com Education and Support Learn more about support groups, education classes, and public awareness events offered by NAMI Northern Virginia, by visiting our website, www.NAMI-NorthernVirginia.org or email info@nami-nova.org and request to be added to our programs mailing list. Click on each Subcommittee to learn more, including meeting details, initiatives and accomplishments.
Community Services and Supports
We seek to support improvements in community services and supports through broad engagement with committees; agencies, including the Fairfax Falls-Church Community Services Board (CSB) and other community organizations. Law Enforcement & Criminal Justice Systems
Individuals living with mental health conditions may need special consideration and support. We seek to help improve outcomes for individuals living with mental health conditions who become involved with our law enforcement or criminal justice systems. (See Guide for Family Members and Friends: Navigating the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center). Housing
Affordable and supported housing options are extremely limited throughout our community, and are particularly limited for individuals living with a mental health condition. We seek to determine what resources are available and to help develop and support implementation of creative solutions. Youth and Families
For more than 50% of individuals who develop a mental health condition, symptoms emerge before the age of 14. We seek to support youth, parents, and educators in early identification and treatment through education, support and advocacy. OUR IMPACT: Click to learn more about our initiatives and accomplishments.
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NEWS, EVENTS
and ADVOCACY OPPORTUNITIES A call to action to help create a more accessible, inclusive community
Helpful Documents (click title to download)
Chairman Sharon Bulova Honors Gary A. Ambrose, Fairfax County
Gary Ambrose has positively impacted thousands of lives through his volunteer work. In 2015 alone, Gary served as Chairman of the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board and Chairman of the County’s Diversion First Initiative. The Diversion First Initiative was established as a program for nonviolent offenders, experiencing mental health crises, diverting them to treatment rather than holding them in jail. As a leader developing comprehensive policies, Gary knows how to balance conflicting demands, help his colleagues stay on target, and unite people from many different organizations and backgrounds. Driven by a family member’s serious mental illness, Gary has a special empathy and understanding of the challenges faced by those populations. He is personally invested in his volunteer work and constantly advocates for those who may not have the ability to speak for themselves. Gary served on Chairman Bulova’s Ad Hoc Police Practices Review Commission in 2015, and he is also an active advocate for mental illness on a national level. Gary also spends part of this time consulting with a service-disabled veteran-owned small business focused on helping veterans find careers in information technology. He has provided testimony before the Virginia General Assembly and is an active member of the National Alliance on Mental Illness-Northern Virginia. Chairman Bulova says, “Gary has turned personal experiences involving mental illness into powerful and skillful advocacy. He fosters understanding and appreciation for the issues surrounding mental illness and is making a real difference in bringing about meaningful policy changes in Fairfax County.” Fairfax County Diversion First meetings are open to the public; Fairfax County Government Center, 12000 Government Center Pkway, Fairfax, VA; Rooms 2/3
Diversion program to start at mental health center, WUSA9--interview with Gary Ambrose
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