Online Services | Commonwealth Sites | Help | Governor

The Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation & Substance Abuse Services

Phone: (804) 786-3921
Voice TDD: (804) 371-8977
Toll Free: (800) 451-5544
Fax: (804) 371-6638

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 1797
Richmond VA, 23218-1797
    2-1-1 is a free three digit telephone number that Virginians can call for resources for counseling services, crisis intervention, volunteer opportunities and other health and human service referrals. Visit the 2-1-1 website.

College of Direct Support VA Partnership Program

The Department is once again pleased to offer the College of Direct Support VA Partnership Program to system stakeholders for participation at a reduced rate for this “state of the art” web-based training for Direct Support Professionals. With over 4,000 learners, we have implemented this program in all of our sixteen mental health and mental retardation hospitals/facilities. Some of you have taken advantage of this program during the pilot and again last fiscal year. We look forward to offering this resource to enhance our vision of self-determination, empowerment, recovery and our transformation efforts.

Currently the College of Direct Support (CDS) offers 15 Modules or 79 Lessons ranging from Safety At Home and In The Community, Individual Rights and Choice, Positive Behavior Supports, Documentation, Introduction to Medication Support, Person-Centered Planning and Supports to Cultural Competence. In addition, the Partnership also allows participation in the College of Frontline Supervision & Management, 4 Modules or 17 Lessons on Training & Orientation, Fueling High Performance, Recruitment and Selection, and Developing An Intervention Plan. Validated human resources assessment tools are now available and their associated surveys can be completed online.

Cost of participation is based on the number of consumers serviced and not by the number of employees trained. A standard annual Administrator’s Fee of $2,800.00 is required. Utilizing the DMHMRSAS License Contract and consolidating the consumers serviced under the one Partnership Program reduces the content fee. Our new contract starts October 1, 2006.

For more information on this Program, you may visit our Workforce Development website, www.dmhmrsas.virginia.gov/wdi/ <http://www.dmhmrsas.virginia.gov/wdi/> or www.collegeofdirectsupport.com <http://www.collegeofdirectsupport.com>.

Please contact our Workforce Planning & Development Manager, India Sue Ridout regarding any questions your may have, (804) 786-4089 or india.ridout@co.dmhmrsas.virginia.gov . If you are interested in participating in this exciting workforce partnership, please contact her by no later than Friday, September 15, 2006.  

  Translations - Spanish   Korean   French   Chinese   German   Italian   Japanese                


 For Comments or Questions Concerning this Web Site, contact the DMHMRSAS Web Administrator
 © Department of Mental Health Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services, Commonwealth of Virginia
Level A conformance icon, W3C-WAI Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0