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Rockbridge Area Community Services outlines housing slots, treatment and school prevention programs for Lexington
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Summary
Rockbridge Area Community Services told the Lexington City Council it has started therapeutic day treatment at Waddell, launched intensive outpatient groups tied to the drug court, and has funding for 15 permanent supportive‑housing slots; RACC also described school vaping and fentanyl prevention curricula and partnerships with local law enforcement.
Kim Shaw of Rockbridge Area Community Services (RACC) told the Lexington City Council that RACC continues to expand behavioral‑health and substance‑use services in the region, including new therapeutic day treatment at Waddell and a recently funded permanent supportive‑housing program offering 15 housing slots.
Why it matters: The programs target residents with serious behavioral‑health needs and connect treatment with housing and criminal‑justice alternatives, areas council members flagged as priorities for local health and safety planning.
Shaw said RACC’s FY25 materials provided to council summarize service activity in the four‑locality region (Rockbridge, Buena Vista, Lexington and Bath County) and indicated Lexington consistently represents about 10% of clients. She described the newly placed therapeutic day treatment clinician at Waddell and said the permanent supportive‑housing allocation (funded in late May/early June) allows 15 slots; participants must accept case management and landlords must be willing to rent at market rates. Shaw said initial funding covers the coming fiscal period but that multi‑year funding levels are not guaranteed.
Shaw also described RACC’s intensive outpatient (IOP) substance‑use programming — currently two groups with roughly 10–12 participants each — and said the agency serves as the treatment component for the local drug court, requiring substantial weekly contact with participants. Brianne Rogers read a written testimonial from an IOP graduate who called the program a "turning point" that provided accountability, therapy and a plan for recovery.
On prevention, RACC said it received a grant to offer the 'Catch My Breath' vaping prevention curriculum (entering year two of a three‑year grant) and implemented a fentanyl‑dangers curriculum in area high schools. RACC also described a long‑running Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) partnership that provides a 40‑hour de‑escalation training for police officers across jurisdictions.
Council members asked for clarifications: which grade levels receive the vaping curriculum (RACC said most placements have been in fifth and seventh grade and that it would confirm specific Lexington grade assignments), how many RACC employees there are (Kim Shaw said about 115 staff), and how the housing slots are funded and sustained (Shaw described an initial FY25–FY26 funding period and said RACC may apply for more slots if demand rises).
RACC representatives also listed near‑term community events: a veterans breakfast and VA mobile vaccine clinic on Dec. 9, Magnolia Center holiday performances at 75 Village Way, and a caregiver support meeting on Dec. 20. The council thanked RACC and recognized long‑serving board members; staff said a vacancy remains on the community services board and the city will work with RACC to find a resident who meets board criteria.
The presentation closed with appreciation from council and staff; several council members encouraged continued coordination between RACC, Hope House and other local providers.
