History

The Arlington Community Services Board (ACCSB) was begun in 1968 by the Arlington County Board. In doing so, the County Board met Virginia's requirement to establish a Board made up of community members who would play a significant role in the determination and oversight of mental health, intellectual disabilities, and substance abuse services.

How The Board Operates

In 1998, the County Board officially designated the Arlington CSB as an "administrative policy community services board." Under this model, the County's Department of Human Services is charged with the delivery and management of services while the ACCSB retains its role in policy determination, the direction of services, and as an advocate of funding needs. The County serves as the fiscal agent for the ACCSB. To learn more about the relationship between the ACCSB and the County Manager, read the   Memorandum of Agreement (350Kb PDF format) between the Arlington County Services Board and the Arlington County Manager.

The ACCSB is an active body made up of interested members of the community who are appointed by the County Board. The ACCSB meets monthly. Members also frequently participate in one of the committees established by the ACCSB that represent the major service areas. Within these committees are opportunities to provide evaluations of services and to influence budget requests or allocations.

The ACCSB is composed of a Chairperson elected by the ACCSB members and as many as 17 other members. The Executive Director of the ACCSB is the Chief of the Behavioral Health Care Division within the Department of Human Services. County staff are frequently called upon to report to the ACCSB.

Services

Services are administered through the Arlington County Department of Human Services.

• Adult Mental Health Services: Provides an array of services to adults aged 18 and over, and their families, faced with the challenges of mental illness. Learn how to access these services. For 24-hour access to emergency mental health services, call 703-228-5160.
• Senior Adult Mental Health Services: Promote or enhances independent living of persons 65 years of age and older through the stabilization of their mental illness or emotional disturbance. The program uses a multi-disciplinary approach to psychiatric treatment and includes comprehensive assessments, medication services, psychotherapy, case coordination, outreach, and consultation. Home-based services are available.
• Adult Substance Abuse Services: Provides services to persons and their families who experience difficulties with alcohol and other drugs.
• Adult Intellectual and Developmental Disability Services: Provides an array of services to adults aged 22 and over, and their families. Learn how to access these services.
• Child and Family Services: Services are provided to children or youth and their families who experience difficulties with mental illness, substance abuse, or developmental disabilities.

Budget

The Community Services Board (ACCSB) operates on a June 30th to July 1st fiscal year. For fiscal year 2009, the total budget for ACCSB-related programs is approximately $32.9 million. Of this total budget, local matching funds totaled $19.6 million, or 60%. The remaining 40% is made up of state funds ($7.6 million); federal funds ($1.65 million); and fees, retained earnings and other other revenue ($3.6 million).

Our Principles and Values

In fulfilling our responsibilities to our community for providing guidance and oversight for Arlington's programs for individuals who experience mental illness or mental retardation or substance dependence, we of the Arlington Community Services Board (ACSB) advance these principles and values:

Human Rights

We value the dignity of each individual and shall proactively protect his or her human rights. All our programs and services, including those through other public, private or non-profit agencies, shall comply with the human rights mandates of the Code of Virginia.

Individual Choice

The ACSB will create an environment that allows for full participation by each individual in development of his or her treatment and service plan. Our goal is to achieve recovery and self-sufficiency to the maximum extent possible.

Community Integration and Independence

We shall provide opportunities for each individual to participate fully in our community, in the most integrated setting and with the maximum degree of independence possible. We consider opportunities to live and work in the community, and to benefit from the natural supports of family and friends, essential to the quality of life of each individual.

Best Practices and Continuum of Services

Our services shall be based on “best practice” - even where this means challenging conventional wisdom - and shall strive to meet the wants and needs of each person served. We shall provide a continuum of services that will offer flexibility and take into account the different levels of functioning of each individual.

ACCSB Populations

We shall serve the populations defined by the ACCSB policies and as defined by the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Family Support

We believe that families are the most important and accessible resource and support for individuals. We shall take all necessary and appropriate actions to maximize the involvement and participation of consumers and family members of consumers in policy formulation and service planning, delivery and evaluation. Further, we shall develop linkages for consumers and families to community-based resources of work, recreation, education, training, and advocacy.

Optimum Use of Resources

Services provided by the ACCSB shall be operated in a cost effective, efficient manner, where the quality/value of the service is high and where there is the highest return on investment. Services shall be accountable to the consumers and the taxpayers of Arlington.

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