Arlington County Government Resources
Human Services
The Arlington County Department of Human Services (DHS) , located at 2100 Washington Blvd., Arlington, VA 22204, offers a number of supports for families of children with disabilities who are residents of Arlington. DHS provides services to children up to age 18 through the Child and Family Services Division, a portion of which is served by the Child Welfare Bureau as well as the Children’s Behavior Healthcare Bureau.
Children with developmental disabilities might qualify for a Developmental Disability Medicaid Waiver. Medicaid Waivers permit families to access government services for their disabled children (for example respite care, placement in day services or residential services, job training, behavior support, etc.). Obtaining a Medicaid waiver can be critical to access support for the disabled across the life span. You can contact a Developmental Disability Specialist at 703-228-1149 or call the main number 703-228-1700 and request a duty worker to request a screening. More information about services is available on the county website DD Waiver Page. There are significant waiting lists in Virginia for a waiver slot, but it is important to get qualified to ensure services are in place as soon as a slot becomes available. Prior to contacting the county, you might wish to review the recommendations provided by non-profit organizations, such as the Arc of Northern Virginia, to make sure you are prepared to apply for the waiver.
Children who have both a developmental disability and a nursing need might quality for the Commonwealth Coordinated Care Plus Waiver (formerly known as the Elderly Disabled With Consumer Direction Waiver).
Arlington County DHS also provides mental and behavioral health supports overseen by the Community Services Board. More information about the Community Services Board is available on the Arlington County Community Services Board webpage.
Crisis Intervention for Youth through Arlington County
The Community Services Act is a Virginia law designed to help troubled youth. A child who is engaging in behaviors of a serious nature can be referred to a Family Assessment & Planning Team (FAPT), a multidisciplinary team brought together to address the situation. Typically, referral to a FAPT is made by a case manager from the Schools, DHS or the Courts. To find out more about FAPT, contact the social worker at your child’s school, call Hadley Corcoran, CSA Coordinator at 703-228-1670, or visit the The Comprehensive Services Act for At-Risk Youth and Families webpage.
Youth Behavioral Health Services can be accessed by children with serious mental health disorders up to age 18. Jennifer Alvaro screens for intake. You can reach Ms. Alvaro by calling 703-228-1560. Arlington County is working on providing same day walk in services, but this is not yet in place as of May 2018.
A 24-hour rapid response service is offered for youth facing a mental health crisis or substance through the Children’s Regional Crisis Response (CR-2). This service is meant to prevent removal from the home, and is provided at no cost to the family. CR-2 can be reached at 1-844-627-4747. More information is available on the county’s CR-2 webpage.
A 24-hour mental health emergency services hotline can be reached at 703-228-5160. Additional information is available on the Arlington County Mental Health Emergency Services webpage.
If you are in a crisis and need to talk to someone, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness crisis support help-line at 1-888-486-8264.
For medical emergencies, call 911.
Adapted Programs/Therapeutic Recreation
The Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation has a Therapeutic Recreation Office which provides inclusion support, adapted programming, and maintains a good list of community resources on its Therapeutic Recreation webpage. For more information call 703-228-4740.
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