I’ve heard decent things. Good luck.

Inova Fairfax is closely tied to the Fairfax only mental health services. So referrals for further treatment tend to be fairfax based. Inova will take private insurance, however.

The adult walk-in clinic is first come first serve so get there early in th day. The clinic will not prescribe any controlled substances. The clinic won’t directly talk to you but is good about paper follow up instructions where you can help kid.

Services are there but sometimes you have to be proactive about the steps. It's a headache to get help.

Wishing you the best and some peace on a very challenging path.

19:01 provides a great summary

Please also join a Family to Family class on NAMI.

Anonymous wrote:What happens after they get out? Do drugs help stabilize them?

Initial hospitalization is to stabilize. You should have no expectations other than they are not imminently suicidal or homicidal.

The services you might see are:
- inpatient program, voluntary
- inpatient program, involuntary
- partial hospitalization
- intensive outpatient
- outpatient

Choice depends on:
- insurance coverage
- insurance approval
- availability of spots
- your child’s choice

What you as a parent can expect:
- you will get no information unless your child expressly consents
- you have no vote in the outcome
- you might not be informed of your child’s discharge date or where your child goes
- you are only responsible for the bill if you agree to be - but it’s a tough choice to put your kid in financial ruin if you don’t have to at an all time low in their life.

BTDT and in the midst of it for more times than I can remember. It’s tough. Take care of yourself and, if you have other kids, take good care of them too.

Hope it works for you, OP. We are five years into this and honestly, I don't know if my DS is any better.

Start with a psychiatrist. S/he should help to find a bed for her, if necessary. This is a major hurdle. Supervise your dc, no closed door anywhere, sleep in the same bed, etc.

There is a crisis of mental health among people under 30.

Social media and the Covid lockdowns made it so much worse.

Result is demand for services has overwhelmed caregivers.

Be prepared to wait, or seek out private providers. Good luck.

Anonymous wrote:What happens after they get out? Do drugs help stabilize them?

Medication is not immediately effective. It can take weeks to tell if something will work and if it doesn’t you’re back to the drawing board.

ER and even inpatient is for stabilization and to get outpatient services in place. Outpatient is usually therapy and psychiatry.

Anonymous wrote:What happens after they get out? Do drugs help stabilize them?

Medication is effective for some people with depression. Not for others (then you call it treatment resistant). You won't know until you try. Psychotherapy can be effective as well. Common wisdom is that both in tandem is best.

What happens after they get out? Do drugs help stabilize them?

Yes, I took my 18yo there last year. It was stressful, but they were very kind and calm. We were in the pediatric ER (at that time they were placing under 21 there) about 5 hours before she got an assessment. She was deemed a suicide risk, placed in a unit in Loudon, and taken there by ambulance.

Things to know - don't take much with you, they will take it all away. They can't have jewelry, cell phones, even her stuffed animal was taken. She got her clothing back eventually but only things with no ties or laces.

I have brought my 17 year old there. They do a good job.

Do they have a current psychiatrist you can call?

If you are seriously concerned about self-harm, erring on the side of safety is the better option.

Your child is 18, though, so they need to agree.

Has anyone taken their child (18) to the inova emergency room - this is an extremely depressive episode.