Western Tidewater CSB Emergency Services

Getting the behavioral health care you need can be frustrating. We have a broken health care system here in America, but we are doing everything we can to fix it, starting right here in our own community.

At Western Tidewater Community Services Board (WTCSB), we are committed to serving you throughout the diagnosis, treatment and recovery process, including moments of crisis.

Emergency Help for a Mental Health or Substance Abuse Crisis in and Around Suffolk, Virginia

WTCSB works directly with hospitals to provide hospitalization for those who need it. The staff who work our Emergency Services hotline are all trained pre-screeners. This means that they can determine whether or not someone needs to be hospitalized.

Anyone can call Emergency Services, but if hospitalization isn’t needed, you may be rerouted to a more appropriate service or trained counselors from the crisis line may be patched in to speak with you.

If you know hospitalization is not required at the moment, call the NSPL by dialing or texting 988.

How to Get Help for a Friend, Family Member or Child?

When you call the WTCSB Emergency Services Hotline, our screeners can help by procuring a temporary detention order (TDO) or an emergency custody order (ECO). A TDO or ECO can help if you’re calling on behalf of someone else.

A TDO allows a person who is experiencing a mental health crisis or other behavioral health crisis to be taken into custody and transported to a hospital.

 

An ECO, also known as a temporary restraining order (TRO) with orders of protection, is a temporary court order that can be issued without notice to the other parent in situations where a child’s immediate safety or well-being is at risk. An ECO grants temporary custody to one parent or places restrictions on the other parent’s access to the child. It can help you to get your child out of a potentially dangerous situation if they are currently in the custody of the other parent.

WTCSB’s RC5 program offers additional support to help divert hospitalization or loss of placement.

When Should I Call Western Tidewater CSB Emergency Services?

Emergency services are available 24/7 for anyone experiencing a mental health or substance abuse-related crisis. Call 757-925-2484 to reach the emergency service line.

What Is Considered a Mental Health Crisis?

Not sure if you’re experiencing a crisis?

A crisis can be:

• A single event – like having intense feelings of emotional anguish in the moment. It might be the anniversary of a loved one’s death or other traumatic experience, or you might simply be having a bad mental health day
• A series of events – like weeks or months of showing signs of depression, suicidal thoughts, substance abuse or other behavioral health concerns

A person in crisis might be:

• Feeling excessively sad or low
• Unable to take care of themself (hygiene, grooming, etc.) or complete their daily tasks (work, school, cleaning, cooking, etc.)
• Seeing or hearing things that aren’t there
• In danger of harming themself or others
• Having suicidal thoughts or actively talking about or planning suicide
• Experiencing rapid mood swings
• Exhibiting more aggressive or risk-taking behaviors
• Experiencing strong and seemingly uncontrollable feelings of anger or irritability
• Self-isolating from friends and family
• Showing signs of paranoia
• Showing a loss of touch with reality
• Experiencing any mental or physical health problems related to substance abuse

Whether or not you think you meet the criteria, if you feel like you need emergency help, please reach out.

Get Help for a Crisis From Western Tidewater Community Services Board

Services for individuals in crisis include:

Counseling

Mental health counseling can help you to understand and manage your emotions, improve your self-confidence and relationships with others, and work to solve the problems you’re facing in your life.

Phone consultations

Are you ready to make a change? We can help you take the next step toward real positive change in your life with an easy over-the-phone behavioral health consultation. This consultation gives us the information we need to know how to best approach your concerns, and gives you the information you need to know what care plan is best for you.

Admission Screenings for Crisis Stabilization

Involuntary commitment to psychiatric care is a common fear, but it’s actually very rare. It’s also an outcome we want to avoid. That’s why we provide crisis stabilization services. Crisis stabilization is short-term emergency help that provides treatment such as counseling and/or medication for individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis. Crisis stabilization is designed to give clients the emergency help they need to stabilize their condition and avoid unnecessary admission to a psychiatric hospital.

Psychiatric Hospitalizations

If necessary, an individual in crisis can access psychiatric hospital care through our crisis services.

Substance Abuse Inpatient Treatment

We offer competent and compassionate care for individuals struggling with substance abuse through several programs, including our inpatient treatment program. Substance abuse inpatient treatment often includes medical detox, individual and/or group counseling, and other therapies as needed.

We also offer specialized crisis services for certain groups, like:

• Children and teens 17 and younger
• Adults with intellectual or developmental disability
• Children and teens with intellectual or developmental disability

Asking For Help Can Change Your Life

Asking for help can be hard, even when you know you need it. It’s normal – we’re all afraid of what might happen sometimes. Maybe you’re worried you’ll be judged or that you’ll be a burden to others. Maybe you think that you should be able to deal with all of this on your own.

No matter what’s giving you doubt, you are strong, capable and deserving. You are worthy of help. You are worthy of healing.