The Patrick County school division began to receive the first installment of a three-year grant from the Virginia Foundation of Healthy Youth on July 1. The funds will be used to provide an evidence-based drug prevention program in the schools, according to Piedmont Community Services (PCS), which is partnering on the project with the school division. PCS Director of Prevention Services, Regina Clark, said the grant will provide $43,431 per year, for a total of $130,293 over the three-year cycle.
The funds will be used for programs that are geared to help improve local lives and may include Catch My Breath, Too Good For Drugs or the Communities Helping to Improve Local Lives (CHILL) program. The program will be available for students in grades 8-12 at Patrick County High School, Regina Clark said
“It’s wonderful to get that grant, and we can renew it. That shouldn’t be any problem,” said Clark.
But it’s important to note that PCS services are not limited to youngsters. For instance, Drug Free Patrick County is the adult version of the CHILL program.
Amy Greer, coordinator of Children’s Services for PCS, said that PCS offers a professional support system for adults as well, and acts as a liaison between families. In addition to serving children aged 3 to 17 years, “the adult side takes over up to age 21” to provide any services that are needed, she said.
Services run the gamut, and are tailored to serve the needs of individual clients, whether in school, to help with the transition from school life or providing support and coordination of case management.
“The biggest function for us is helping that child function within their community,” said other PCS staff members, including Shannon Clark, director of Community Support Services.
PCS serves youngsters with developmental delays and intellectual disabilities, and conducts screenings to determine eligibility. “It’s just another service that we offer,” said Greer.
Kelly Koble, director of Behavioral Health, travels to train treatment staff, called behavioral support specialists, that are housed in individual schools. In Patrick, four case managers share the various elementary schools.
“We also have an outpatient therapist housed at the high school,” said Koble.
Dana DeHart, assistant director, is assigned to the Stuart office as well, and staff explained that the agency maintains three facilities in Patrick –a group home that provides residential services and psychological services, and its main office – the only facility identifiable with signage.
Also among the agency’s offerings are same day assessments, outpatient services, the ACT Team -which stays in regular contact and offers in-home services, Substance Use Disorders Management, Mental Health Case Management, Early Intervention, Healthy Families, Psychosocial Rehab, Emergency Services/Youth Mobile Crisis, Intensive Care Coordination and Family Support Partners Substance Abuse Disorder Groups, Peer Recovery Center and Support Services as well as a host of others.
“We feel it’s helpful if you can provide good service at home” rather than in a state facility, and “we have a plethora of services” to offer the communities served, Greg Preston, executive director of the agency, said.
“We provide services regardless of a person’s ability to pay,” Preston said, and explained that PCS is one of 40 Community Service Boards in Virginia. It was formed in 1972, and tasked with serving Patrick, Henry and Franklin counties and the City of Martinsville.
The agency also operates a Recovery Center on Memorial Blvd. In Martinsville, a mobile unit, housing services, and several other services, Preston said.
Currently, PCS employs 440 “motivated” people, he said.
“It’s really our job to make sure we’re a partner” in individual localities. “We provide psychiatric services as well and often should be seen as the expert” in those areas. “It’s one of the things we take pride in,” said Preston.
He added that if and when a service gap is identified, or a need arises for a service that is not currently offered, “we’ll build it.”
Crisis services are available from 8-5, Monday – Friday. For more information in Martinsville/Henry County, call (276) 632-7128; Patrick County, (276) 694-4361 and Franklin County, (540) 483-0582.
For psychiatric emergencies, call (888) 819-1331. For emotional support, call (877) 934-3576.
