Dear Friends,
The CHAS Foundation is closely monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic and following recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and the Virginia Department of Health.
The health and safety of our clients, staff, and volunteers is imperative. Our ability to continue supporting and connecting individuals and families to mental health services is also of utmost importance. CHAS is in the process of updating our program models to ensure critical services continue to be offered to our clients during these challenging times. It has become necessary for some programs to modify their service offerings.
Mental Illness Navigator & Support Program
The Mental Illness Navigator & Support (MINS) program is still providing essential services that include supporting and connecting clients to effective mental health resources in the Hampton Roads region. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the size of our office space, MINS staff are not seeing clients in the CHAS office building located in Norfolk, VA. Instead, clients will consult with a MINS program coordinator via telephone or through a virtual telehealth meeting. Your mental health is a priority to The Chas Foundation, so please do not hesitate to reach out to us.
Mindfulness Program
As a result of the CDC’s recommendation to keep six feet apart and because of the size of our Mindfulness/Wellness room, the CHAS group Mindfulness Classes have been suspended until further notice. We will be working with individuals and caretakers one-on-one to create a mindfulness plan-of-action during these stressful times. Small group mindfulness classes will resume once our staff can ensure full safety measures are in place. The Mindfulness/Wellness room is a space open to available to anyone and everyone, so please contact us if you are interested in utilizing the space.
This continues to be a fluid situation that CHAS plans to monitor closely. The outbreak of COVID-19 impacts each person’s mental wellbeing in different ways. Some may feel anxious or down, while others may be ambivalent or frustrated. Some will experience compounding effects based on their preexisting mental illness. For everyone in and around Hampton Roads, we want to be a resource for you and your mental health.
Beau Kirkwood
Executive Director
The CHAS Foundation
