Category Archives: Uncategorized

Recent national data offers encouraging news for our communities. Since the launch of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, youth suicide rates have declined significantly, saving an estimated 4,400 young lives (ages 15–34).  The greatest reductions have occurred in states where more people are reaching out, reinforcing a simple but powerful truth: connection and timely support save lives. 

At the same time, the data highlights important gaps. Suicide rates have not declined as much among older adults, who are less likely to use 988. Many callers are individuals facing isolation or overwhelming stress, caregivers, rural residents, and people who simply need someone to talk to. We have to keep expanding awareness, reducing stigma, and ensuring access to support for people of all ages. 

Another important feature of 988 is its specialized support options. The “Press 3” line, which connects callers with counselors trained to support LGBTQ+ individuals, accounted for nearly 10% of calls when available, demonstrating the value of culturally responsive care. After being discontinued last summer, there are now plans to restore this option, a meaningful step toward meeting people where they are and ensuring everyone feels seen and supported. 

At Encompass, we see every day how powerful it is when someone reaches out and is met with compassion. Our local crisis services and 24/7 crisis line are here for anyone in need, young people, older adults, caregivers, and families alike. We provide immediate, confidential support and can connect individuals to ongoing care close to home. 

If you or someone you know is struggling, please don’t wait. Call 988 or our direct crisis line anytime at 540-617-0774. You are not alone. Help is here, and it starts with a conversation. 

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2848066

Mark your calendar! From midnight to midnight on Tuesday, May 12, our community will come together for an extraordinary day of giving!

This year, you can help us create something truly transformative: a vibrant Fauquier Senior Hub.

Across Fauquier County, many older adults face increasing isolation, rising food costs, limited transportation, and a growing risk of depression and declining health.

Nationally, 1 in 3 seniors experiences loneliness, a serious issue linked to higher rates of illness and hospitalization. No one should grow older feeling forgotten or alone.

Here at home, we saw just how fragile connection can be. Right before the holidays, the sudden closure of the local Senior Center due to nearby construction left our seniors in tears, unsure if they would see one another again.

That moment made our mission for this giving day abundantly clear: our seniors need a permanent place to belong, where nutrition, movement, connection, safety, and lifelong learning are paramount.

Encompass Community Supports is working to make that vision a reality by planning to purchase land and build a permanent, mixed-use facility that will serve as both a welcoming community hub and a supportive housing solution for older adults.

Together, we can build more than a center. We can build a community.

To donate, please visit our giving page: ECS Give Local Piedmont. We will send you reminders as we count down the days until May 12.

Thank you for being a part of the solution to support our seniors.

We’re proud to share the Encompass Community Supports (ECS) FY25 Impact Report, highlighting the meaningful work we continue to do across our communities. Thanks to our dedicated team, partners, and supporters, we have reached more individuals and expanded our services.

Our mission remains simple: to help people live healthier, happier lives. By improving access to care, reducing stigma, and empowering individuals, we are building stronger, more resilient communities.

Each story at ECS reflects resilience, hope, and connection. In FY25, we saw lives change, clients renewed through counseling, families achieving housing stability, and older adults gaining independence through transportation. These moments, big and small, are at the heart of our work.

Even amid uncertainty, hope, joy, and connection persist. We continue making a difference, one life at a time.

This time of year is not just about gratitude, it’s about resilience, connection, and hope. In a year filled with change and uncertainty, one thing remains steady: you are not alone.

As your local Community Services Board and Area Agency on Aging, we are deeply grateful for the trust you place in us. Every day, we see the strength of individuals, families, caregivers, and community partners who continue to show up for one another. Your courage inspires our work.

This holiday, we give thanks for the opportunity to support you and your loved ones. Whether you are navigating mental health or substance use challenges, caring for an aging family member, or simply trying to make it through a difficult season, we are here for you.

May your holidays be filled with moments of peace, comfort, and connection. And may the days ahead bring renewed hope for all of us.

With gratitude,
Encompass Community Supports

Through a collaborative partnership with the Town of Warrenton, Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office, Fauquier County Government, and Fauquier County Parks and Recreation, Encompass Community Supports (ECS) – also your Area Agency on Aging – announced the reopening of the Fauquier Senior Center at its temporary location beginning Tuesday, December 16, 2025.

The Fauquier Senior Center will operate from 10 AM to 2 PM Monday through Thursday at 18 Court Street in Warrenton, ensuring seniors continue gathering, connecting, and participating in robust programming. “Our Board of Directors, Advisory Council, Executive Director Sheryl Reinstrom, and dedicated staff are thankful that a timely solution was found as we continue our quest for a permanent home complete with well-rounded, healthy aging opportunities for older adults of Fauquier County, coupled with our commitment to provide vibrant space where adults aged 60 and better can thrive. A heartfelt thank you to Alec Burnett, President of the Fauquier Chamber of Commerce and Captain Kristi Kiernan of the Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office who continue to go above-and-beyond for our older adult residents,” said Tina Schilling, Director of the Community Connections for Older Adults division of Encompass Community Supports and our Area Agency on Aging.

Formerly located at the Warrenton Community Center, local partners worked together to remove barriers, identify a safe and accessible location, and provide a beautiful location where adults aged 60 and better can experience lifelong learning, enjoy a hot nutritious lunch, and gather to help combat loneliness and social isolation. Robust efforts to secure a permanent home for ECS’ Fauquier Senior Center continue under the leadership of ECS’ Board, Executive Director, and Director of Community Connections for Older Adults and our Area Agency on Aging.

To ensure safe and convenient access, seniors who drive to the Fauquier Senior Center will have access to dedicated parking in the County parking lot at the corner of John Marshall Highway and Lee Street and be transported by ECS transit vehicles directly to the center’s front door.

Encompass Community Supports extends its gratitude to local community partners, including TC and Jenn Robinson, owners of Denim & Pearls and Licorice Pizza who donated an electric food warmer to support the senior meal program at the new location, helping ensure services continue smoothly during this transition. “We wholeheartedly welcome additional community support,” encouraged Tina Schilling.
All partners remain committed to working together in supporting adults aged 60 and better and identifying a long-term solution to meet the needs of our community members.

Encompass Community Supports does not discriminate on the basis of any characteristic protected by law in employment matters, programs, or services.

As we reflect on the past year, we are filled with gratitude for the support you’ve shown Encompass Community Supports. Your partnership makes it possible for us to provide vital behavioral health, developmental disability, and aging services to neighbors of all ages across our region.

Because of you, older adults stay connected and supported, families find stability, and individuals facing life’s toughest challenges receive compassionate care. Together, we are making a difference, one life at a time.

This year, the S.E.E. (Support, Encourage, Empower) Recovery Center welcomed more than 7,500 visitors.  Our transportation team provided 49,000 rides, and our seniors received more than 35,000 home-delivered meals.

Our Behavioral Health team supported more than 1,000 residents in crisis and delivered over 1,300 services. We also celebrated 10 years of our Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) program.  This powerful partnership among law enforcement, first responders, behavioral health professionals, advocates, and individuals with lived experience promotes compassionate, stigma-free responses to mental health and substance use crises.

But we can’t do this work alone.  This year has brought challenges for many, including our agency. Social service cutbacks, the federal government shutdown, and anticipated Medicaid cuts create new pressures.

As the year comes to a close, we invite you to consider a year-end gift to help us continue strengthening the health and well-being of our community. Every contribution, large or small, makes a meaningful difference in the lives of the people we serve.

Visit:  https://www.encompasscommunitysupports.org/donate/ to donate online or click the QR code below.

For the safety of our senior center members, and due to ongoing construction in the area, Fauquier County has decided to close the Encompass Community Supports’ Fauquier Senior Center at 430 E. Shirley Ave. We’re actively working with the county to secure a new location and will share updates as soon as we have them.

Until a new location is found, Fauquier County older adults are invited to attend the Culpeper or Rappahannock Senior Centers.

Please feel free to contact us for more information and Thank you for your patience and support!

~ Encompass Community Supports

Tonight – in this region – more than 190 people will not have a home to sleep in. They will sleep in their cars or tents or in sleeping bags nestled against a wall or bench. For most it is not a life they choose to lead but the result of a series of unfortunate circumstances.

In a few weeks it will be winter, and the weather will be harsh. Temperatures will drop, winds will blow, and snow will fall, making it unsafe for anyone to be without shelter.

With your help people like Tom, a homeless senior, will have a safe, warm bed on the coming winter nights. A gift of just $25 will provide one night of care, including a bed and a hot meal for Tom and others like him. Will you help? Please make a gift by 10/31/25 to ensure Tom and others will be sheltered when winter comes.

Tom, like many of those who are homeless, is not well. He suffers from emphysema and other chronic health conditions that leave him unable to work. He doesn’t have the support of family or friends and can’t afford the high cost of local rents. He needs your help.

By donating to the Piedmont Warming Shelter by 10/31/25, you can provide a safe night for Tom and others. They need you. Just $25 will provide a night of care, possibly saving the life of someone who is truly alone in this world and in need of your help. Your gift is much more than a financial contribution; it’s a direct lifeline for a vulnerable member of our community.

You can make a difference right now. There are many ways to give. Checks can be made payable and sent to Culpeper Human Services, at 1835 Industry Drive, Culpeper, Virginia (indicate “warming shelter”) or you can donate to Encompass Community Supports at https://www.encompasscommunitysupports.org/donate/ (choose Piedmont Warming Shelter) or by using this QR Code.

Thank you for donating today to ensure that no one is left to face the cold alone this winter.

A federal shutdown affects our community in many ways.  While it creates uncertainty, ECS remains committed to minimizing service disruptions and ensuring that those who rely on our programs receive the care, resources, and assistance they need.

As your local Community Services Board (CSB) and Area Agency on Aging (AAA), our top priority remains providing essential care and support to the individuals and families we serve. Both the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) and the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) have indicated they have plans and funds in place to continue services during a federal government shutdown, depending on its length.

With so much happening around us, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But even in uncertain times, moments of joy, hope, and connection are all around us, waiting to be noticed.  Just this week, our Support Coordination Team helped clients successfully transition from unsheltered to safe, stable housing.  Eight clients moved into their own apartments, two more are in the final stages, and one achieved a major milestone by purchasing a home with their partner.

These successes remind us that even in challenging times, progress, hope, and community thrive. Together, we will continue supporting people and improving lives, today and every day.