Community Support Services (CSS)

PRS Community Support Services is a life skills training service designed to assist clients with making changes to move into recovery from mental illness.

This includes clients who have co-occurring disorders of mental illness and substance abuse/dependence, clients with Autism Spectrum Disorders and clients who have concurrent medical issues.

Objectives include:

• Teaching clients to do and implement daily living skills in order to increase self-sufficiency and ability to live independently in the community.
• Teach clients to maintain their residence to reduce risk of eviction from housing.
• Empowering clients to take responsibility for their lives, to make informed decisions and to become invested in recovery.
• Helping clients improve social skills and use of leisure time.
• Helping clients improve overall wellness, increase strengths and resilience.
• Collaborating with other healthcare providers, family and/or significant others to ensure that comprehensive service needs are met.

PRS Community Support Specialists partner with clients to make real-life changes by developing and practicing life skills. The following list includes a sample of skills training activities that persons served often need and desire to recover, to increase independent living skills and to improve health and wellness:

• Planning menus
• Shopping for food
• Cooking healthy meals
• Budgeting
• Paying bills on time
• Exercising regularly
• Completing hygiene tasks
• Handling laundry
• Reducing substance use
• Implementing coping strategies
• Staying sober
• Completing household tasks
• Practicing safety procedures
• Managing medication
• Establishing a daily routine
• Managing time/appointments
• Accessing community resources
• Using public transportation
• Improving problem-solving skills
• Developing work readiness

In order to learn, practice and implement life skills, each client will participate in regularly scheduled home visits, community integration activities and case management meetings when applicable.

Service may be provided in the home or other community settings, such as banks, grocery stores, etc. Clients are encouraged to address physical health care issues in addition to illness management and recovery for brain disorders.

It is essential that persons with concurrent medical problems or co-occurring disorders address comprehensive needs in order to make lifestyle changes to improve overall wellness.

Services are integrated so that clients balance needs and develop skills to cope with multiple disorders. All services are based on a client’s needs and desires, are person-centered, recovery oriented and strengths-based. This service is funded by Medicaid (Mental Health Skill Building Services) or private pay.

Download the CSS Referral Form 2023

For more information, please contact:
Sarah M. Egresi, MSW, LCSW, LMHP
Director of Community Support Services
10455 White Granite Dr., Suite 400
Oakton, VA 22124
Phone: (703) 622-7566
Fax: (703) 448-3723
Email: segresi@prsinc.org

Laura Fonner, MA, LPC, LMHP
Chief Clinical Officer
10455 White Granite Dr., Suite 400
Oakton, VA 22124
Phone: (703) 622-6109
Fax: (703) 448-3723
Email: lfonner@prsinc.org