On December 12, Justine Bradley, Licensed Practical Counselor of the Mount Rogers Community Service Board came to center to talk with the student body about how to overcome the “Holiday Blues”. There are many factors that can cause the depressed, stressed, agitated, fatigued, down and out, dreaded bad feelings that many people experience over the holidays. In order to effectively resolve and overcome the holiday blues, she talked about what was need to know and how to get help. She talked about abstaining from alcohol and substance abuse during the Holiday Season. She made sure students understood this was not a healthy coping mechanism. She also discuss healthy coping strategies for handling family issues or events at home away from the center and dealing with the return to center after the holidays.
Mount Rogers Community Services is dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with mental, physical and substance use intervention needs and committed to respecting people’s right to live in their home communities by promoting hope for the future and providing services and supports that promote self-determination, empowerment, recovery, resilience, health, and the highest possible level of consumer participation in all aspects of community life including work, school, family and other meaningful relationships. They are a great community resource and connection for Blue Ridge Job Corps to have. The Center utilizes their services often for the students here at Blue Ridge. They have many different area in which they can help current and students who complete such as:
• Community Acute Care Services: The mission of Community Acute Care services is to provide up-to-date and progressive mental health and substance abuse services to citizens in our catchment area. These services are provided to increase the quality of life for individuals, families, and communities through treatment, education, and advocacy.
• Community Extended Care Services: Community Extended Care is committed to providing the highest quality of community support services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disability, mental illness, and for individuals who are recovering from substance abuse. Whether it is a child receiving in-home services, an adult living independently, or an individual leaving an institution to live in the community; the goal is to help people achieve growth, dignity, and fulfillment in their lives.
There are four full time counseling centers, which are located in Marion, Wytheville and Galax with a satellite center in Independence. Office hours are weekdays 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. with evening hours available upon request. Anyone may make a referral for services by calling the center. Each referral is individually assessed for appropriate services. Once this is completed, the individual will then be given an appointment for orientation to complete various forms and a financial agreement. The individual will then be given an appointment with his or her service provider. All Third Party Insurance, Medicaid, and Medicare are accepted. Fees are based on a sliding scale dependent upon household income and the number of people that are supported by the income.
Counseling is a creative problem solving process that requires honesty and permission to think, say, and feel anything in order to create choices and new ways to cope with seemingly impossible to solve situations. It means taking risks on one’s own behalf. Confidentiality is therefore highly valued and honored. This service and community connection is extremal beneficial at Blue Ridge with the amount on the rise for Mental Health and the needed for service that can’t be met on center. We are lucky to have such a program right here in Marion, and Mount Rogers continues to be a fantastic resource to our center.