DID YOU KNOW... During the COVID-19 pandemic, 37% of high school students reported they experienced poor mental health. LGBTQ+ youth are 4x more likely to attempt suicide than their peers. In the U.S., there is an average lag of 8-10 years between the onset of a mental health condition and the start of treatment. 1 in 5 American youth live with a mental health condition. In October, the Villa hosted a panel discussion on the current Youth ...Read More
Oshun had barely finished high school before facing nights sleeping on the street. Kicked out of her parents’ home at 18 years old, she was left to assume responsibility for herself with nowhere to go and few she could trust. It was a scary time. While staying at a shelter, Oshun met with her church pastor and shared her situation. Her pastor referred her to the Villa’s Flagler Housing Resource ...Read More
Kathleen Burke Barrett, Chief Executive Officer of St. Joseph’s Villa, has announced her plans to retire in December 2023 after leading the organization for 17 years. Under Barrett’s leadership, the Villa increased its capacity from serving 800 children and families each year to over 3,000. She worked closely with staff to forge new partnerships and pioneer industry best practices, resulting in the launch of Central Virginia’s first Crisis Stabilization Unit ...Read More
St. Joseph's Villa congratulates Adam Dreyfus, Senior Director of the Villa's Sarah Dooley Center for Autism, on his appointment to serve on the Board of Education's State Special Education Advisory Committee. Adam has led the Sarah Dooley Center for Autism since 2013, after serving the Commonwealth of Virginia as a Technical Assistance Associate at VCU’s Autism Center for Excellence. He has worked in Region 1 and 8 providing direct services ...Read More
Our Villa Garden will celebrate its 10th anniversary in October. Thanks to support from our community partners and volunteers, each season has seen the garden expand as an ever-changing therapeutic and educational resource for all Villa students and clients. On their annual Founder's Day of Caring, volunteers from the ABC 8News team joined us in the garden to install galvanized raised beds and prep them for growing. These sturdy new ...Read More
The extraordinary demands of the pandemic have placed a heightened burden on the mental wellbeing of our frontline healthcare workers. St. Joseph's Villa is pleased to partner with Virginia Department of Health, Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS), and Virginia Health Care Foundation to provide healthcare workers with specialized resources and support as part of the Frontline Wellness VA program. Visit our Frontline Wellness VA web page ...Read More
The Richmond Region Antique Automobile Club will hold its 53rd annual Collector Car Show and Swap meet at St. Joseph’s Villa, featuring the Evolution of the Sports Car! This is one of the largest collector car swap meets in Virginia - you won't want to miss this family friendly event. Join us on the lawn Saturday, June 11, 8am-3pm and enjoy: Over 250 antique, classic, and modified vehicles. The Evolution ...Read More
Congratulations to Matthew Kreydatus, our Director of Career and Transition Services, for receiving the 2022 Making a Difference Award from VAISEF! For over 20 years at the Villa, Matthew has been extraordinarily committed to meeting students’ most immediate needs so that they can thrive in and outside of school. Many of our students face significant food barriers and rely on the Villa for two meals a day. In 2019, Matthew ...Read More
What makes the Crisis Stabilization Unit at St. Joseph’s Villa different from a psychiatric hospital? For Emily and her mom, Heather, access to a nurturing, less clinical setting for mental health services brought healing to the entire family. “Emily walked away with coping skills, and found out that she wasn’t alone in her challenges,” said Heather. “She gained a renewed sense of pride in allowing herself to get help.” Emily ...Read More
The possibilities that come with each spring are always met with excitement at the Villa. They bring a new season of growth in the Villa Garden, meaning fresh opportunities for students to immerse in the colors, textures, smells, and wildlife that reawaken. This year, we had even more reasons to celebrate the return of spring with the installation of two beautiful greenhouses, made possible through a generous gift by Mark ...Read More
