City served more than 40,000 residents through human services programs last year
Annual report highlights behavioral health access, youth engagement, and multilingual outreach
Alexandria’s Department of Community and Human Services served more than 40,000 residents last fiscal year through programs ranging from Medicaid coverage to mental health services to domestic violence advocacy, according to the agency’s annual Community Impact Report.
DCHS Director Kate Garvey presented the report to the City Council on Tuesday, and the full report was released publicly on Thursday.
“We are fortunate that all of this work takes place in a community where kindness and generosity are the norm,” Garvey wrote. “Alexandria is a place where remarkable things are possible because of the shared commitment to creating a community where all residents can succeed.”
By the numbers
Services spanned all ages: more than 560 infants and toddlers received early intervention services through the Parent Infant Education program, while more than 430 older adults were supported through Adult Protective Services.
The Alexandria Fund for Human Services, a grant program with an annual City Council appropriation of nearly $2 million, supported 48 nonprofit programs. Collectively, those grantees served 31,762 participants and 22,163 households.
Eighty-five percent of grantees met or exceeded their proposed outcomes, with nearly half exceeding their goals by more than 20 percent and nine programs more than doubling their targets.
Multilingual community
Grantees reported serving participants who speak 36 languages other than English, from Amharic to Waray. One grantee alone served participants speaking 22 distinct languages.
More than one in five grantees reported that at least 80 percent of their participants spoke a language other than English. Spanish was the most common, followed by Dari/Farsi and Amharic. Programs also frequently served Arabic and Pashto speakers.
Hispanic residents accounted for the largest share of participants in programs focused on school readiness and economic security. Black residents accounted for the largest share in crisis prevention and remediation programs.
Key initiatives
The report highlighted several accomplishments:
Same Day Access for behavioral health: Unified intake for adults, children, and youth seeking mental health and substance use services
Youth listening sessions: More than 1,000 young people participated in sessions to inform the next Children and Youth Community Plan
Age Friendly Plan: Continued implementation of the city’s plan to support older residents
The Friends of the Alexandria Mental Health Center, a nonprofit supporting residents in mental health services, spent $89,334 last year — including $41,000 helping people stay housed. The organization noted the funding gap left it with few resources and prompted increased fundraising efforts.
Equity focus
The department’s Office of Organizational Development and Equity continued building what the report calls “a culture of belonging.” Staff members attended the national Facing Race Conference, and the department maintained monthly sessions for its Black, Indigenous and People of Color caucus and White Allies for Racial Equity caucus.
The full report is available at alexandriava.gov/dchs-annual-report.