Lutheran Family Services Of Virginia Inc

AT ENCIRCLE, WE ARE GUIDED BY OUR VISION THAT ALL PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES WILL RECEIVE THE SUPPORT THEY NEED TO LIVE ABUNDANT LIVES. OUR NEARLY 600 STAFF AND CAREGIVERS SUPPORT CHILDREN, ADULTS AND FAMILIES, AND OUR SERVICES ARE OPEN TO ALL.

DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES: ENCIRCLE'S COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES FOCUS ON QUALITY CARE, WITH THE GOAL OF SUPPORTING MEANINGFUL LIFE EXPERIENCES IN THE SETTING OF THEIR CHOICE. OUR STAFF ACT AS A MENTOR AND FRIEND TO HELP PEOPLE ATTAIN THEIR GOALS, WHILE ENSURING THEIR HEALTH, SAFETY, AND MEDICAL NEEDS ARE MET. OUR 14 GROUP HOMES (IN VIRGINIA AND WEST VIRGINIA) PROVIDE ROUND-THE-CLOCK SUPPORT FOR WOMEN AND MEN IN COMFORTABLE, COMMUNITY-BASED HOUSES. WE ALSO SUPPORT ADULTS LIVING IN THEIR OWN HOMES THROUGH INDIVIDUALIZED IN-HOME SERVICES. SKILLED NURSING AND THERAPEUTIC CONSULTATION SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT CLIENTS IN ANY SETTING TO ENSURE THEIR MEDICAL AND BEHAVIORAL NEEDS ARE MET. WE ALSO CONTRACT WITH AND SUPPORT MORE THAN 200 FAMILY CARE PROVIDERS-PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT ADULTS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES LIVING IN THEIR HOMES. TO ENSURE PEOPLE ARE INTEGRATED INTO THEIR COMMUNITIES AS FULLY AS POSSIBLE, WE OFFER DAY SUPPORT AND COMMUNITY COACHING PROGRAMS AS WELL. OUR DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES ARE LICENSED THROUGH THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES (DBHDS) AND ARE ACCREDITED THROUGH THE COMMISSION ON ACCREDITATION OF REHABILITATION SERVICES (CARF). DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2021, WE HELPED 363 ADULTS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES LIVE MORE ABUNDANT LIVES.

MINNICK SCHOOLS - ENCIRCLE'S MINNICK SCHOOLS HELP STUDENTS AGES 5 TO 22 WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED CHALLENGES IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS REACH THEIR ACADEMIC, BEHAVIORAL, VOCATIONAL, AND DEVELOPMENTAL GOALS. MINNICK SCHOOLS, LICENSED BY THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AS PRIVATE DAY SCHOOLS AND ACCREDITED THROUGH THE VIRGINIA ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT SPECIAL EDUCATION FACILITIES, ARE LOCATED IN ROANOKE, HARRISONBURG, WYTHEVILLE, WISE, AND BRISTOL. WE PARTNER WITH 32 LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WHICH REFER STUDENTS TO OUR SCHOOLS, AND WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH STUDENTS' FAMILIES. OUR HIGHLY TRAINED EDUCATIONAL AND SUPPORT STAFF PROVIDE INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION IN SMALL CLASSROOMS, INCORPORATING THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY. WE SERVE STUDENTS WITH A WIDE RANGE OF DISABILITIES, INCLUDING THOSE ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM, TO REACH ACADEMIC AND BEHAVIORAL MILESTONES. OUR GOAL FOR STUDENTS IS THAT THEY TRANSITION SUCCESSFULLY BACK TO PUBLIC SCHOOL, OR IN OUR VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS, TO THE WORK WORLD. IN THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2021, WE SERVED 265 STUDENTS, 28 OF WHOM SUCCESSFULLY RETURNED TO PUBLIC SCHOOL.

TREATMENT FOSTER CARE, ADOPTION AND OUTPATIENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES - AT ENCIRCLE, WE WRAP SUPPORT AROUND CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED TRAUMA TO HELP THEM HEAL AND FIND PERMANENT FAMILY CONNECTIONS. WE ARE A LICENSED CHILD-PLACING AGENCY THROUGH THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES AND OUR TREATMENT FOSTER CARE PROGRAM IS CARF-ACCREDITED. WE RECRUIT AND TRAIN ADULTS IN THE RICHMOND AND TIDEWATER REGIONS WHO ARE EAGER TO SHARE THEIR SKILLS, STRENGTHS, COURAGE, AND "LIFE FIRSTS" WITH CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE. MANY OF THE CHILDREN WE SERVE ARE TEENS, PART OF SIBLING GROUPS, OR HAVE BEHAVIORAL CHALLENGES OR OTHER SPECIAL NEEDS. IN SOME CASES, OUR FOSTER FAMILIES ADOPT CHILDREN IN THEIR CARE, AND IN OTHER CASES, CHILDREN RETURN TO BIRTH FAMILIES OR OTHER PLACEMENTS. FREQUENTLY, OUR FOSTER PARENTS PROVIDE LONG-TERM STABILITY AND CONNECTION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, WHICH GREATLY INCREASES THEIR CHANCES OF BECOMING SUCCESSFUL AND CONTRIBUTING ADULTS. OUR HIGHLY TRAINED STAFF ALSO OFFER POST-ADOPTION CASE MANAGEMENT FOR FAMILIES WHO HAVE ADOPTED CHILDREN EITHER FROM FOSTER CARE OR THROUGH PRIVATE AGENCIES. WE UNDERSTAND THE UNIQUE AND ONGOING NEEDS OF FAMILIES CREATED THROUGH ADOPTION. DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2021, ENCIRCLE WORKED WITH 35 FOSTER FAMILIES, PLACED 20 CHILDREN INTO LOVING HOMES, AND SUPPORTED OVER 100 FAMILIES THROUGH POST-ADOPTION CASE MANAGEMENT. ENCIRCLE ALSO PROVIDES OUTPATIENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. ENCIRCLE'S EXPERIENCED COUNSELORS OFFER A TRAUMA-INFORMED AND INTEGRATIVE APPROACH TO INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY COUNSELING. WE CONDUCT COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENTS AND HIGHLY INDIVIDUALIZED TREATMENT. OUR COUNSELORS ARE TRAINED IN TRAUMA-FOCUSED TREATMENT INTERVENTIONS FOR CHILDREN, TEENS, YOUNG ADULTS, ADULTS, AND FAMILIES DEALING WITH EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL ISSUES. BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC OUR COUNSELORS HAVE PIVOTED TO OFFER VIRTUAL SESSIONS AS WELL AS IN-PERSON SESSIONS WHEN NEEDED. IN THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2021, ENCIRCLE CLINICIANS PROVIDED 3,100 COUNSELING SESSIONS TO 183 CLIENTS.

IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEE SERVICES: ENCIRCLE WORKS TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES PLACES OF WELCOME FOR IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES THROUGH OUR GROWING ARRAY OF PROGRAMS. WE ASSIST MIGRANT CHILDREN WHO ARRIVE IN THE U.S. UNACCOMPANIED IN REUNITING WITH FAMILY AND SPONSORS IN THIS COUNTRY. WE PROVIDE FINGERPRINTS AND CONDUCT HOME STUDIES AS PART OF THE BACKGROUND CHECK PROCESS FOR FAMILY MEMBERS AND SPONSORS WHO ARE TAKING IN A MIGRANT CHILD TO ENSURE THEIR SAFETY. ADDITIONALLY, WE PROVIDE CASE MANAGEMENT FOR THESE CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER REUNIFICATION TO ENSURE CHILDREN WHO ARE RELOCATING HAVE THEIR EDUCATIONAL, HEALTH, LEGAL, AND OTHER NEEDS MET. WE ALSO PROVIDE COUNSELING SERVICES FOR ADULT IMMIGRANTS WHO ARE IN THE STRESSFUL TIME OF AWAITING THEIR IMMIGRATION HEARINGS. OUR SERVICES IN THIS DIVISION ARE PROVIDED THROUGH GRANTS AND PARTNERSHIP WITH LUTHERAN IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEE SERVICES (LIRS) AND LUTHERAN SOCIAL SERVICES OF THE NATIONAL CAPITAL AREA (LSSNCA). IN THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2021, WE FINGERPRINTED 392 FAMILY MEMBERS AND ASSISTED 40 FAMILIES THROUGH OUR HOME STUDY/POST-RELEASE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES.