HopeLink Behavioral Health warned that a Fairfax County budget proposal could eliminate $618,952 in funding for its BeWell program, which provides coordinated health care support for people living with serious mental illness. The county’s advertised budget includes the cut under reductions for Fund 40040, the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the Fiscal Year 2027 budget on April 14.
The funding figures show declining county support. HopeLink reported the county provided $497,423 in FY24 and $535,451 in FY25. For FY26, HopeLink received $354,476 year to date for the period from July 1, 2025, through February 28, 2026, which annualizes to approximately $531,714.
Program Impact
BeWell integrates physical and behavioral health to promote overall wellness and recovery for individuals with mental health and substance use challenges. The Oakton-based nonprofit began the program in 2015 as a partnership with the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board after discovering that nearly 40% of county residents with mental illness served by Fairfax County did not have a primary care physician. BeWell initially was funded through a federal grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
The program includes a nurse care manager from the Community Services Board and a HopeLink health coach team made up of peers with lived experience of serious mental illness. Each client is paired with a peer health coach for one-on-one support, and the program offers group classes focused on health concerns and wellness practices. Since 2015, BeWell has helped more than 1,000 people.
According to Joseph Getch, CEO of HopeLink Behavioral Health: “Losing this program will be a significant step backwards for mental health services and those in Fairfax who’ve benefited from it.” HopeLink staff and volunteers plan to attend the April 14 board hearing to advocate for continued funding.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://patch.com/virginia/reston/fairfax-budget-could-cut-618k-hopelink-mental-health-program