Horizon Behavioral Health

Please join us in wishing Yvonne Patton a bittersweet farewell as she embraces a soon-coming, well-deserved retirement! 🎉 We are so grateful for the 24 impactful years of exemplary service and contributions Yvonne has contributed to Horizon during her career. Yvonne began her employment on February 1, 2000, as a Clinician at Horizon's Wellness Center at Landover, before transitioning to her current role as a Case Manager. September 3rd will be Yvonne's last day at Horizon. Surrounded by family and friends at her retirement party hosted by Horizon, many of Yvonne's co-workers shared what they love most about working with Yvonne and what they will miss dearly.  "It's been wonderful working with you, to see how you have persevered and continued to be passionate about the work that you do. I got to know you by working closely with you through CHAP. I appreciate you, and your family, who are always by your side in the work that you do. Enjoy this new journey and part of your life!" "I just want to thank you because we know Horizon has some of the best employees when it comes to doing things outside of work to really get involved in our community and to see you continue to show up for our community through CHAP, such as leading the Youth Summit. You have been a true blessing and ray of sunshine. I wish you nothing but the best in this new season!" "My favorite thing I've always loved about you is your willingness to volunteer to help the community. On the few occasions that you have said you can't help with something, it's because you're already committed to helping elsewhere."  "I appreciate your support and encouraging words and being a resource to us all."  Yvonne shares, "After 24 years at Horizon, I will miss my co-workers so much because I believe I have the best team! Here at Horizon, when we see a need in the community, Horizon pivots to meet that need. If there is a need, Horizon will meet it. I appreciate all of my coworkers, my team and the leadership here."  Best wishes to you on your retirement, Yvonne! #onthehorizon

International Overdose Awareness Day is coming up on August 31st! Join us and CVARR - Central Virginia Addiction and Recovery Resources Coalition on Saturday for a candlelight vigil and memorial slideshow to honor the 274 lives lost to overdose in Central Virginia since 2020. The event will also include open mic sharing, free Narcan resource tables, and messages of hope. Together we can make a difference! Learn more: https://buff.ly/3YRQ68M #TogetherWeCan #IOAD2024 #EndOverdose #onthehorizon

Mark your calendars: 9/8 is the first annual #988Day! Be part of the movement happening nationwide to promote the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and mental health support. Find more information about 988 Day and how you can get involved: buff.ly/4fX04M8 #988Lifeline #onthehorizon

Yesterday, 15 individuals took part in the Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST). ASIST is a two-day workshop with a standardized curriculum designed to develop “suicide first aid” skills. It teaches participants to recognize when someone may have thoughts of suicide, to discuss suicide in a direct manner with that person, and how to intervene and work with the person to create a plan that supports their immediate safety. The training is based on a person-centered prevention model: Rather than guiding people-at-risk through a predetermined pathway to safety, the model supports individuals in developing their own safety plan using personal and community resources. Stay on the lookout for future ASIST trainings offered for free, by Horizon Behavioral Health! #suicideprevention #mentalhealth #onthehorizon

Have you or a loved one had an Adverse Childhood Experience? Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic events that occur before the age of 18. According to the CDC, about 64% of adults in the US have experienced at least one ACE, while 17.3% have experienced four or more. Higher ACE scores are linked to increased risks for injuries, chronic health problems, mental illness, substance use disorders, and difficulties with interpersonal relationships. However, ACEs can be prevented. By changing the way we think about childhood trauma and understanding the risk and protective factors of ACEs, we can decrease their occurrence and foster resilience against their impacts. Our next free training on Understanding ACEs will be on November 15th from 9 AM-12:30 PM at 2235 Landover Place in Lynchburg. Come learn more about what ACEs are, how they impact individual health and community wellbeing, and how we can begin the collective work of defending against them and building the resilience to overcome these experiences. Click here to register: https://buff.ly/4cSAMw9 #onthehorizon #ACEs #training

With school starting back it's important to be mindful of students in need of help. Horizon offers School-Based Behavioral Health Services in the county and city schools. Services provided are evidence-based and focus on assisting the student in meeting their mental health needs while remaining in their academic setting. Therapists and case managers work closely with parents, teachers and other school personnel to meet the needs of the student and provide ongoing support during and after the school day. Contact your school today to learn more about service options available at your child's school or call us at 434-477-5000 to start the assessment process.

SAVE THE DATE! If you haven't heard yet, Horizon Behavioral Health is sponsoring the 3rd annual RIDE OF OUR LIVES benefit ride in honor of Mental Health and Suicide Awareness on Saturday, September 14th, starting at Harley Davidson at 20452 Timberlake Road in Lynchburg. Don’t ride? – Don’t worry! There will be plenty for you to take part in at the finish line. The rally will take place at our Horizon Wellness Center at Langhorne beginning at 12:00pm where food, music, speakers, and raffle prizes will be waiting for riders, their families, and the community! This event is FREE to participate, and donations are welcomed! SECURE YOUR SPOT: https://buff.ly/3WNuK9Y #onthehorizon #rideofourlives

Today, we hosted School Counselors from Lynchburg City Schools for a tour of Horizon's Langhorne Wellness Center and a presentation on the services Horizon provides for students inside of local schools. We wish them the best in this new school year! Want to learn more about Horizon's school-based behavioral health services such as out-patient therapy and case management? Click here: https://buff.ly/46RqUkK #onthehorizon

Do you think over-the-counter medications are always safe? Let's talk more about it: If not used as prescribed, over-the-counter medications can lead to addiction, severe health problems, and even death. Using an over-the-counter medication that is not prescribed to you, can lead to addiction, severe health problems, and even death. To keep our community safe, we can all play an important role by properly disposing of medications regularly. Learn more at Abovethehigh.org

Congratulations to the 2024 graduates of the Lynchburg Adult Recovery Court Program! We hope that you will continue to seek out support from us, your community, as you continue on your journey of recovery with a world of opportunities ahead of you. We can't wait to see what you achieve next as we are confident your commitment and dedication to meeting your goals will take you far! It is a privilege for Horizon to serve alongside a dedicated collaborative of community partners and organizations that support this lifechanging program in Lynchburg, Virginia.