By Mike Wade mwade@nrvcs.org Approximately 1 in 8 women in the U.S. will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime, as roughly a quarter of a million new cases are diagnosed each year. Given those statistics, it’s highly unusual these days to find someone who hasn’t been impacted by breast cancer in …
Beginning July 1, 2016, NRVCS will become the single point of entry for the provision of developmental disability (DD) case management services in the New River Valley. This includes the counties of Floyd, Giles, Montgomery, and Pulaski, or the City of Radford. According to NRVCS officials, children and adults who currently receive DD case management …
NRVCS (New River Valley Community Services) is encouraging local residents to wear green on Friday, May 13 in support of mental health awareness. This activity coincides with the national observance of Mental Health Month. According to spokesperson Mike Wade, employees at NRVCS are also being encouraged to wear green on May 13. The agency conducted …
State officials say proposed changes to Virginia’s system of care for children and adults with developmental disabilities will ultimately improve access to enhanced levels of home- and community-based support. The Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) recently unveiled its plan to amend the Medicaid waiver program that funds services for individuals with developmental disabilities. …
Community-based behavioral health services must constantly evolve in order to effectively meet the needs of individuals and families who are living with either mental health and/or substance abuse issues. Recently, there has been a significant movement across the country to utilize “peers” in delivery of those services. “Peer supports” use trained and certified consumers to help provide treatment …
One of NRVCS’ greatest strengths over the years has been the agency’s ability to adapt to the evolving needs of the communities it serves. Because rates of substance abuse in southwest Virginia have continued to escalate at an alarming pace, one could argue that Glenn Mathews’ new position with NRVCS was created out of necessity. …
As a member of the PACT (Program for Assertive Community Treatment) III Team, clinician Melissa Gentry spends the majority of her time with individuals who have been diagnosed with severe mental illness. While it can be a difficult population to serve, Gentry has a keen – if not intuitive – understanding of their struggles. Gentry …
NRVCS will offer two new cycles of the popular Strengthening Families Program (SFP) beginning in February. This FREE weekly program is open to families with children ages 6 – 11. SFP will be made available to families in Montgomery County beginning Monday, February 1 and continuing each Monday through April 18 (12 weeks). Classes will …
NRVCS hosted its Third Annual Cultural Art Exhibit, featuring the talents of NRVCS staff, on Wednesday, November 4, 2015 in Blacksburg. Employees submitted work of various media – including original creations that ranged from painting to quilt-making. Some actually hosted live demonstrations of their skills and one staff member shared a pair of original poems (PDF document). Others …
Melanie Adkins, Emergency Services and Jail Diversion Coordinator for NRVCS, was named the Virginia CIT (Crisis Intervention Team) Behavioral Health Provider of the Year at an awards ceremony held last week in Hampton, Virginia. Cynthia Hudson, Chief Deputy Attorney General of Virginia, presented Adkins with the award. Employed by NRVCS for nearly 20 years, Adkins has …