Oakton, VA (April 1, 2025) — HopeLink Behavioral Health was awarded two separate contracts totaling nearly $1M that will expand the services it provides to help people with serious mental illness and substance use disorders recover their lives. HopeLink is a regional nonprofit with national reach that helps individuals who live with behavioral health issues or that are in crisis.

“We are excited to offer these two new programs that will enable us and our community partners to overcome barriers for people trying to access housing, mental health and substance use disorder services. We will be helping more people with serious mental health challenges gain access to stable housing with services. In addition, we will be making it easier for young people and their families to navigate the systems to get the mental health and substance use disorder services they need,” explained Joseph Getch, CEO, HopeLink. “Both of these efforts fit well with HopeLink’s current services and mission and will directly support those working to identify and connect with the resources and services they need.”

HopeLink received a nearly $600K contract from the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to help clients with serious mental illness access permanent housing with supportive services in Fairfax County. The new offering by HopeLink will support a team of six people who will help reduce homelessness and hospitalization stays by connecting clients with affordable housing. Using the proven housing first approach, which prioritizes getting people into housing and then providing supportive services, HopeLink will help people stabilize their lives through stable housing by giving them time to achieve their personal goals while living independently in the community.

In addition, Fairfax County Department of Family Services awarded HopeLink with a $331K contract to help children and young people up to age 25 access mental health and substance use services. Finding and accessing children’s and young people’s mental health and substance use services can be difficult. HopeLink will start a Care Navigation program to create a single point of entry and build a team of care navigators. A navigator collaborates with the young person and their family to develop a care plan, which considers the young person’s unique needs, preferences, and circumstances as well as cultural factors. Navigators help to determine what level of service may be needed and helps youth and families connect to those services with barriers and challenges in mind. Throughout the process, the navigator provides ongoing support, education and guidance to the young person and their family.

The program builds on HopeLink’s engagement and subject matter expertise in child and adolescent behavioral health care and complements other HopeLink services such as 988/Crisis Chat and Transition to Independence Process (TIP), which provides intensive support over an 18-month period for Northern Virginia youth (14-29) who are experiencing emotional and behavioral difficulties. TIP is a youth-driven, highly effective program that helps youth and young adults with emotional and behavioral disorders transition to adulthood so they can live independent, fuller lives.

About HopeLink Behavioral Health

HopeLink is a leading nonprofit helping those living with diverse behavioral health issues and anyone who faces life crises achieve independence, self-sufficiency, and safety. HopeLink provides people they serve with skill training and support to help them recover and rebuild their lives through a range of services including Psychosocial Rehabilitation Day Program Services, Mental Health Outpatient Therapy, Mental Health Skills-Building, TIP, Individual Supported Employment, Peer Support Services, Coordinated Specialty Care. HopeLink is a 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Center and Regional Crisis Call Center answering calls, texts, and chats from across Virginia and the nation. For 24/7 support from HopeLink, call 988. For 24/7 chat support, visit 988lifeline.org/chat. www.HopeLinkBH.org.