The Office of Behavioral Health and Wellness (OBHW) in Sterling, Virginia is devoted to advancing mental health and wellness in the community. Through a range of programs and events, the OBHW strives to raise awareness of the significance of mental health and well-being, celebrate recovery from mental illness, and prevent substance use disorder (SUD).Mental Health Awareness Month is an annual event established in 1949 to raise awareness of the importance of mental health. The OBHW has organized a variety of activities and workshops throughout the year to mark this occasion. Past events have included a report on the cost savings of prevention, an examination of the impacts of COVID-19 on behavioral health, an overview of health disparities, and a summary of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in Virginia. The Virginia SEOW (Substance Use Epidemiology Outcomes Workgroup) is another program that works to develop results that demonstrate how data from different agencies can be used together to tell the full story of substance use and behavioral health status in communities.
Through multiple strategies and initiatives, the OBHW works to lead and fund initiatives in Virginia to prevent SUD. The OBHW also provides specialized first aid for mental health. Studies have shown that those who specialize in this area are more confident in helping others, are more likely to advise people to seek professional help, have improved agreement with health professionals regarding treatments, and have decreased stigmatizing attitudes. During adolescence, young people are still developing and any toxin present in tobacco can cause harmful effects on their organs. To this end, the Office of Behavioral Health and Wellness, together with community and state partners, use evidence-based research interventions aimed at all people in the population (universal), people at greater risk than the general population (selective) and people who already have risky behaviors (indicated).
