EMS of Virginia provides Community Stabilization (formerly Crisis Stabilization) for children and adults in the community setting. Our Qualified Mental Health Professionals come to you or your child in a place that is convenient and allows you the opportunity to work on your goals. Community Stabilization at EMS of Virginia is designed for children and adults struggling with acute crises of a psychiatric nature that may jeopardize their current community living situation, or which puts them at risk of psychiatric hospitalization. This service’s objectives are to prevent exacerbation of a mental health condition, to prevent injury to the client or others, and to provide treatment in the context of the least restrictive setting.  The interventions provided during this service may include, but are not limited to:

• averting psychiatric hospitalization or re-hospitalization by providing guided 1-1 support for up to 8 hours in one day, up to 15 days in row, depending on insurance approval
• providing living environments with a high assurance of safety and security by working with the identified client and supports on safety planning
• stabilizing individuals in psychiatric crisis through short-term focused goals
• mobilizing resources of the community support system, family members, and others for ongoing maintenance, and rehabilitation
• making referrals and linkages to longer-term services that will be in place after the identified crisis period to enhance overall well-being

In order to qualify for Community Stabilization Services, you or your loved one needs to be experiencing an acute psychiatric crisis that could result in hospitalization without these supports. Those experiencing symptoms of Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, Heightened Anxiety and Stress, or a similar mental health condition might be eligible. Those experiencing chronic stressors such as homelessness, lack of employment, family discord, or anything that might enhance the symptoms of mental illness that could result in a person needing hospitalization are encouraged to reach out to discuss our Community Stabilization Services. 

If you are interested in this service, please fill out our referral form, or call us at 804-332-5696 to speak with someone directly. Feel free to email us at info@emsofvirginia.com with any questions. 

Community Stabilization Services are covered by all Medicaid plans. We are currently accepting clients with Aetna, Magellan, Magellan CCC+ / Molina, Virginia Premier, and Optima Medicaid. We also accept private pay and CSA funding through FAPT.

For Community Partners

EMS of Virginia has been serving the greater Richmond, Virginia, area since 2005. During this time, we have established many community relationships that we truly value. We offer a high level of quality assurance and take pride in our desire to collaborate with you. Some partnering agencies include homeless prevention and re-entry councils, hospitals, community stabilization programs, as well as other service providers of mental health and substance abuse services. 

EMS provides an array of therapeutic services through a comprehensive community-based program for adults aged 18 and up, struggling with mental health issues. Mental health concerns may include psychiatric problems related to mood disorders, thought disorders, anxiety disorders, and personality disorders as well as disruptive behaviors that affect the individual’s ability to function socially and emotionally on a daily basis. The focus of our services will be centered on assisting the individual with the development of a more positive self-concept to enable our client to explore his or her world in a healthier way. This will be supported by staff interventions that promote a sense of acceptance, success, and ultimately, independence. Our clients will benefit from positive experiences designed to enhance personal understanding of their role in relationships, assist them in the development of adaptive responses to stress, increase their ability to successfully complete instrumental activities of daily living, and thus promote their potential for independence.

EMS’s Community Stabilization Services were developed with the vision to provide community support and intervention rather than psychiatric hospitalization, so that the individual can work on functional and adaptive ways to resume their life in their natural setting. As we work through the presenting mental health crisis, we will work with individuals on a plan to link with longer term services that will enhance stability and wellness.

If you are interested in this service, please fill out our referral form, or call us at (804) 332-5696 to speak with someone directly. Feel free to also email us at info@emsofvirginia.com with any questions.