Safety Beyond Police: Fairfax County, VA
Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) Northern Virginia
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Shareable PNG Flyer Size | Fairfax County Safety Beyond Police Flowchart
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Plain Text of the Flowchart
Steps to Ask Yourself Before Calling the Police
Is this merely an inconvenience to me? Can I put up with this and be okay?
---> No, I need to respond.
---> Yes, I can deal.
Can I handle this on my own, is this something I could try to talk-out with the person?
---> No, I need back-up.
---> Yes, I can talk it out.
Is there a friend, neighbor, or someone whom I could call to help me?
---> No, I need a professional.
---> Yes, I can call someone I know to help.
Can we use mediation to talk through what’s happening or is there an emergency response hotline I could call?
---> No.
---> Yes.
If I call the police do I understand how involving the police could impact me and the other person?
‘Yes’ responses to questions 1-4 mean that you and your community handled the situation!
‘Yes’ responses to question 4 direct you to the following quick facts about several local professional resources:
Mediation
Northern Virginia Mediation Service (M-F, 9-5) | 703-865-7272
Mental Health
Mobile Crisis Unit (8 AM - midnight) | 703-573-5679
Substance Use
Fairfax Detox Center (24/7) | 703-502-7000
Food & Shelter
Coordinated Services Planning (24/7) | 703-222-0880 or 211
Victim Support
Virginia Victim Assistance Network Helpline (M-F, 9-5) | 1-888-887-3418
Sexual Assault
Artemis House (24/7) | 703-435-4940
Runaway & Homeless Youth
Second Story Hotline (24/7) | 1-800-SAY-TEEN or text “TEENHELP” to 855-11
Plain Text of the Resource Guide
Alternatives to Calling the Police
Fairfax County, Virginia
Professional Resources
Mediation
Northern Virginia Mediation Service is a nonprofit organization that facilitates people coming together to communicate - to really listen and be heard, to identify issues and work on them together, and to find common ground. Services are voluntary and available to the community on a sliding scale. Both parties must be willing to engage. Staff available to discuss services during normal business hours.
703-865-7272
Mental Health
Emergency Mental Health Services are available 24/7 through the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board (CSB), funded by the Fairfax County Government. Part of the CSB, the Mobile Crisis Unit is available to respond to mental health emergencies from 8 a.m. to 12 midnight daily for people of all ages in Fairfax County.
703-573-5679
Children’s Regional Crisis Response (CR2) is a 24-hour rapid response service to all youth (17 and younger) facing a mental health and/or substance use crisis in Northern Virginia. Trained counselors of the nonprofit organization, National Counseling Group (NCG), provide phone screenings and face-to-face assessment, intervention, and support.
571-364-7390
VA REACH Program offers crisis prevention and response services for individuals with co-occurring mental health and developmental disabilities. VA Reach is able to serve individuals from infancy to geriatric age who may be at risk for hospitalization or other harms. Trained staff are available 24/7 at their hotline, and no qualifying individual is turned away due to inability to pay.
855-897-8278
Substance Use
Fairfax Detox Center is a short-term emergency residential substance abuse program funded by the Fairfax County Government and located in Chantilly, VA for adults to safely detoxify from the effects of drugs and/or alcohol. Staff are available 24/7 to discuss services, including medical detoxification, buprenorphine detoxification, outreach and social detoxification.
703-502-7000
Runaway & Homeless Youth
Second Story is a nonprofit emergency safe haven for Northern Virginia teens in crisis (age 13-17) who want to move beyond homelessness, abuse, trafficking, neglect, or other harmful situations. Rapid re-housing and transitional living services are also available for homeless young people (age 18-24), including homeless young women (age 16-24) who are pregnant or have young children. A hotline is available 24/7.
1-800-SAY-TEEN or text “TEENHELP” to 855-11
Domestic & Sexual Violence
Domestic & Sexual Violence Hotline is a 24-hour resource for women, men, teens and children who are experiencing domestic and/or sexual violence, stalking, or human trafficking. The hotline is funded by the Fairfax County Government.
703-360-7273
Artemis House is a nonprofit emergency shelter in for victims of domestic violence in Fairfax County who are in need of a confidential place to stay, emergency transportation, safety planning, and/or food and clothing. Legal, counseling, employment, and childcare resources are also available. Staff are available 24/7 to discuss resources.
703-435-4940
Victim Support
Virginia Victim Assistance Network is a nonprofit organization that helps people who have been harmed understand their rights and options, find information and connect with resources, access referrals and craft next steps to regain control over their lives. Services are available for free, and helpline is available during normal business hours.
1-888-887-3418
Food & Shelter
Coordinated Services Planning is a centralized hub run by the Fairfax County Government for people in need of information and referrals for human services resources in Fairfax County, including emergency food, housing, and/or financial assistance. Staff are available 24/7 to discuss resources.
703-222-0880 or 211
Community Examples
Audre Lorde Project’s Safe Outside the System seeks to empower community members to be proactive in preventing anti-LGBTQ violence, intervene when violent situations arise, and build stronger relationships between LGBTQ people of color, our allies and the community as a whole.
Philly’s Pissed & Philly Stands Up, PP provides direct support to survivors of sexual assault and PSU works with folks who have committed sexual assault or partner abuse to take accountability.
Incite! is a national activist organization of radical feminists of color advancing a movement to end violence against women of color and our communities through direct action, critical dialogue, and grassroots organizing. Check out the Stop Law Enforcement Toolkit and Community Accountability Best Practices.
Buoy is a decentralized 9-1-1 alternative built for people who are not well served by existing emergency response services.
More Inspiration
What To Do Instead of Calling the Police
By Aaron Rose
Calling Someone Other Than the Cops
By Conor Friedersdorf
Feeling for the Edge of your Imagination: finding ways not to call the police
By Caroline Loomis
How to Start Building Alternative Structures to Police in VA
Know your neighborhood: meet your neighbors; learn their names, who they are, and their contact information; say hello when you walk by.
Follow, volunteer with, and support the work of LaColectiVA, Justice for Muslims Collective, & Sanctuary DMV.
Learn skills that can help keep your community safe:
Street Harassment, De-escalation, & Bystander Intervention Training | Collective Action for Safe Spaces
Rapid Response & Accompaniment Training | Sanctuary DMV
Conflict Resolution & Mediation Training | Northern Virginia Mediation Service
Join Showing Up for Racial Justice Northern Virginia: SURJ Northern Virginia organizes white people around racial justice and police abuse. Learn more by following along on Facebook & Twitter.
Thank you for reading and learning along with us!
A big ‘thank you’ also goes to SURJ DC, who inspired us to research, compile, and create our own local resources.
Be sure to check out and share their flowchart and resource guide, too.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/15EFTd1reeQ4G55nMqgCsjx83-eflxIxG_68jhIbpMLU/edit#