Chas Foundation

THE CHAS FOUNDATION'S MISSION IS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO EFFECTIVE TREATMENT OF THOSE STRUGGLING WITH MENTAL ILLNESS AND THEIR FAMILIES; TO STRIVE FOR PUBLIC ACCEPTANCE OF THOSE STRUGGLING WITH A MENTAL ILLNESS; TO SAVE THE LIVES OF THOSE STRUGGLING WITH A MENTAL ILLNESS BY WORKING WITH PRIVATE AND PUBLIC PROFESSIONALS; TO PROVIDE SUPPORT, THROUGH EDUCATION, FOR FAMILY MEMBERS THAT ARE STRUGGLING WITH A LOVED ONE'S MENTAL ILLNESS.

MENTAL ILLNESS NAVIGATOR & SUPPORT (MINS) PROGRAM IN 2021, THE CHAS FOUNDATION CONTINUED HELPING INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR FAMILIES STRUGGLING WITH MENTAL ILLNESS BY SUPPORTING AND CONNECTING THEM TO THE MOST EFFECTIVE RESOURCES POSSIBLE THAT WILL HELP IMPROVE THEIR OVERALL MENTAL HEALTH. THE PROGRAM NAVIGATES THE COMPLEX SYSTEM AND CONNECTS INDIVIDUALS TO LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES WHILE PROVIDING A CONTINUUM OF CARE THROUGH REFERRALS (TREATMENT PROVIDERS, HOUSING, POLICE, COURT, JAILS). WHEN SERVICES AND RESOURCES ARE INADEQUATE, OR THE INDIVIDUAL AND/OR FAMILY HAS EXHAUSTED ALL THEIR OPTIONS, THE CHAS FOUNDATION CONTINUES TO PROVIDE PEER SUPPORT AS WELL AS PEER FAMILY SUPPORT IN ORDER TO HELP THE FAMILY AS AN ENTIRE UNIT. ADDITIONAL SUPPORT IS GIVEN BY MEETING WITH INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES AT THEIR CHOICE OF LOCATION, PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION TO REACH SERVICE PROVIDERS AND MAKING DOCTORS' APPOINTMENTS. THE MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM CAN BE A MAZE FOR INDIVIDUALS. FAMILIES DO NOT KNOW WHERE TO START OR HOW TO NAVIGATE THE SYSTEM. AN ONLINE MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCE GUIDE SHOWING RESOURCES AND SERVICES IN EVERY HAMPTON ROADS CITY IS CONTINUALLY UPDATED FOR COMMUNITY USE. CHAS IS THE PRIMARY CONTACT FOR RESOURCES ON THE CITY OF NORFOLK'S MENTALLY HEALTHY NORFOLK RESOURCE GUIDE. CHAS IS THE ONLY FREE LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCE WHERE A PERSON CAN CALL AND TALK WITH A PEER-SPECIALIST THAT'S COMPASSIONATE, CARING, SUPPORTIVE, AND INFORMATIVE WHILE AIDING TO INCREASE ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH CARE. CASE MANAGERS AND TREATMENT PROVIDERS HAVE A SET AMOUNT OF TIME A CLIENT CAN SPEAK WITH THEM USUALLY RANGING FROM 20 TO 60 MINUTES. THE FREQUENCY OF THE APPOINTMENTS TENDS TO BE EVERY 1 OR 2 WEEKS, IF NOT LONGER. THE MINS PEER SUPPORT COUNSELOR CAN BE ON THE PHONE WITH CLIENTS FOR UPWARDS OF 2 OR 3 HOURS PER DAY. MINS STAFF WORK WITH SOME CLIENTS DAILY OR MULTIPLE TIMES PER WEEK. LOCAL HEALTH CARE AND INSURANCE PROVIDERS HAVE BEGUN REFERRING FAMILIES TO THE CHAS FOUNDATION. THE MINS PROGRAM ALSO RECEIVES CALLS FROM PEOPLE ASKING FOR INFORMATION ABOUT SERVICES AND RESOURCES. THIS INCLUDES INFO LIKE PHONE NUMBERS OR ADDRESSES. THESE CALLERS ARE NOT CONSIDERED PARTICIPANTS OF THE MINS PROGRAM BECAUSE WE DO NOT OBTAIN DEMOGRAPHICS ON THEM OR ATTEMPT A FOLLOW-UP. IN 2021, 523 PEER-SUPPORT CONNECTIONS TO SERVICE PROVIDERS WERE MADE BY THE MINS PROGRAM. OVER 350 FAMILIES WERE PROVIDED CARE COORDINATION TOTALING OVER 2,200 FAMILIES HELPED SINCE 2015. MINDFULNESS PROGRAM CHAS CONTINUES HOLDING TRAININGS AND WORKSHOPS FOR MINDFULNESS. IN 2021, THE PROGRAM CONTINUED WITH WORKSHOPS AT LOCAL HAMPTON ROADS HIGH SCHOOLS AND WORKING WITH BOTH STUDENTS AND FACULTY. OVER 500 INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN TRAINED THIS YEAR IN BOTH GROUP AND INDIVIDUAL SETTINGS. MINDFULNESS IS NOW RECOMMENDED AS AN ALTERNATIVE OR SUPPLEMENTAL TREATMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO EXPERIENCE MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS SUCH AS ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, AND BIPOLAR DISORDER. FAMILIES AND CARETAKERS OF THOSE STRUGGLING WITH A MENTAL ILLNESS CONTINUE TO UTILIZE THE MINDFULNESS OR "WELLNESS" ROOM LOCATED AT THE CHAS OFFICE. MINDFULNESS HELPS THESE INDIVIDUALS TO DEVELOP COPING SKILLS AND USEFUL TECHNIQUES THAT CAN IMPROVE THEIR MENTAL HEALTH AND OVERALL WELL-BEING. EDUCATION/TRAINING THE CHAS FOUNDATION HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CRISIS INTERVENTION TEAM IN NORFOLK, VA. CRISIS INTERVENTION TEAMS (CIT) ARE PROGRAMS THAT BRING TOGETHER LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING LAW ENFORCEMENT, EMERGENCY DISPATCHERS, MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS, CONSUMERS OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, AND FAMILY ADVOCATES IN ORDER TO IMPROVE MULTI-SYSTEMS' RESPONSE TO PERSONS EXPERIENCING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISIS WHO COME INTO CONTACT WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT OR OTHER FIRST RESPONDERS. THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CHAS FOUNDATION HAS BEEN AN INSTRUCTOR FOR THE NORFOLK POLICE DEPARTMENT'S CRISIS INTERVENTION TEAM FOR 8 YEARS AND HAS TRAINED OVER 1250 OFFICERS. THE DIRECTOR ALSO TRAINS CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS AT THE NORFOLK SHERIFF'S OFFICE. IN ADDITION, THE CHAS FOUNDATION ATTENDS MENTAL HEALTH FAIRS THROUGHOUT HAMPTON ROADS EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ON OUR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES ALONG WITH PROMOTING DISCUSSIONS ON MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES FACING OUR COMMUNITIES. THE CHAS FOUNDATION CONTINUES PROVIDING COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING THAT EDUCATES THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT MENTAL ILLNESS LOOKS LIKE, SOME OF THE MOST COMMON TYPES, AND STEPS TO TAKE IF AN INDIVIDUAL OR FAMILY MEMBER IS STRUGGLING WITH A MENTAL ILLNESS. PUBLIC AWARENESS THIS YEAR, THE CHAS FOUNDATION LAUNCHED A MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS CAMPAIGN ALONG WITH WTKR CHANNEL 3 NEWS IN MAY. MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH. THE COMMERCIAL AND PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT SPREAD THE MESSAGE THAT IT IS OK TO REACH OUT FOR HELP AND CHAS IS A FREE RESOURCE AVAILABLE TO THE COMMUNITY. EARLY TREATMENT AND DIAGNOSIS OF MENTAL ILLNESS HAS SHOWN TO INCREASE AN INDIVIDUAL'S ABILITY TO ACHIEVE A SUCCESSFUL RECOVERY. UNLIKE MANY PHYSICAL CONDITIONS AND/OR DISEASES, INDIVIDUALS OFTEN HIDE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND MASK THEM, ESPECIALLY IN THE EARLY STAGES. CHAS AIMS TO HELP AN INDIVIDUAL RECOGNIZE THAT THEY SHOULD NEVER FEEL ASHAMED ASKING FOR HELP AND SEEKING TREATMENT. SOCIAL MEDIA WAS ALSO USED TO RAISE AWARENESS AND EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON NEW RESEARCH AND CURRENT TRENDS REGARDING MENTAL ILLNESS. COMMUNITY OUTREACH TO INCREASE ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH CARE AND SERVICES, CHAS HAS COLLABORATED AND PARTNERED WITH NUMEROUS HOSPITALS AND ORGANIZATIONS. IN 2020, THE CHAS FOUNDATION CONTINUED WORKING ON THE "MENTALLY HEALTHY NORFOLK" INITIATIVE WITH LOCAL NONPROFITS, HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, AND CITY LEADERS TO RAISE AWARENESS AND "IMPROVE THE COMMUNITIES OVERALL MENTAL HEALTH." THE CHAS FOUNDATION CONTINUES TO PARTNER WITH THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF THE KINGS DAUGHTERS (CHKD) BY PARTICIPATING IN A FAMILY ADVISORY PANEL THAT GIVES ADVICE AND FEEDBACK REGARDING THE NEWLY DESIGNED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH HOSPITAL. CHAS ALSO WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN ADVOCATING AT A STATE AND LEGISLATIVE LEVEL BY EXPLAINING WHY A CHKD BEHAVIORAL HEALTH HOSPITAL IS SO DESPERATELY NEEDED FOR HAMPTON ROADS, THE REGION, AND THE ENTIRE STATE OF VIRGINIA. THE CHAS FOUNDATION ALSO CONTINUES TO WORK CLOSELY WITH AND ALONGSIDE LOCAL COMMUNITY SERVICE BOARDS, THE EASTERN VIRGINIA MEDICAL SCHOOL (EVMS), I NEED A LIGHTHOUSE, THE SARAH MICHELLE PETERSON FOUNDATION, AND THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR THE MENTALLY ILL (NAMI). INTEGRATION AND COLLABORATION ARE ESSENTIAL TO EFFECTIVE TREATMENT. CLOTHING AND TOILETRIES ARE ALSO PROVIDED TO THE NORFOLK CRISIS STABILIZATION CENTER.