Children’s Behavioral Healthcare

NOTE: Effective December 20, 2021, Children’s Behavioral Health will operate under emergency standards of care and begin implementing a prioritization of services in accordance with Community Services Board policy.  Please see below letter for further detail. Same Day Access/Intakes are limited and will be scheduled through 703-228-1560. 

Childrens-Behavioral-Health-Prioritization_Memo_12.14.21.pdf(PDF, 247KB)

Anyone across the lifespan experiencing an urgent mental health need is encouraged to contact CR2 (844-627-4747) and anyone experiencing a psychiatric emergency is encouraged to contact Emergency Services (703-228-5160). We will provide an intake assessment to children who are returning to the community from acute psychiatric hospitalization — please call to coordinate.

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Arlington County Behavioral Healthcare Services for Children

As with physical health, our mental health develops and changes as we get older, and is important at every stage of life. Everyone has mental health; it can range from being good sometimes to not so good (or poor) at other times. It’s at these times that our services help.

Services we offer:

• Same Day Access intake assessments: See note above
• Outpatient Treatment: individual, group, family therapy for mental health and substance use
• Care coordination (“case management” for linkage and coordination of needs and services a youth may receive from various agencies or providers)
• Specialized case management for transition-age teens with mental illness
• Detention-based assessment and intervention for youth in the Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center
• Court liaison services at the juvenile court to identify youth with behavioral health concerns, divert them from court involvement and link them to appropriate services in the community
• Psycho-education for youth with substance use or abuse
• Mental health promotion and substance abuse prevention services in schools and in the community
• Parent-Child Interactive Therapy (PCIT) (Currently not accepting new referrals)
• Behavioral Intervention Services (BIS) provides consultations to parents, guardians, and teachers experiencing challenging behavior in children. Learn more: About BIS: (English(DOC, 48KB) / Español(DOC, 27KB)). Application: (English(DOC, 325KB) / Español(DOC, 330KB))

For further information about our services, call 703-228-1560. (SEE NOTE ABOVE)

What We Do

• We promote the emotional and psychological well-being of Arlington County youth and families.
• We provide services to children, teens and their families to prevent mental health and substance abuse problems from developing or becoming more serious.
• We help your child/teen overcome problem thoughts, feelings or behaviors that interfere with daily life, and  assist them in developing skills for healthy living.
• Learn more: (English / Español)

Learn about Diversion First, a program for youth made possible through an agreement with Virginia Hospital Center. The program began operation in 2019.