[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 139 (Tuesday, October 8, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1453]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             RECOGNIZING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF PRS, INC.

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. GERALD E. CONNOLLY

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 8, 2013

  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate PRS, Inc. on 
its 50th anniversary and to recognize PRS for assisting thousands of 
individuals with mental illness, substance use disorders, mild 
intellectual disabilities, and autism spectrum disorders achieve 
personal wellness and play productive roles in the community.
   PRS provides critical services to people living with severe mental 
illnesses such as schizophrenia, bi-polar disorder, major depression, 
intellectual disabilities, substance use disorders, or pervasive 
developmental disorders. Through innovative service delivery and 
programs, PRS can quickly assess the needs of an individual and 
implement services such as counseling, interpersonal skills training, 
vocational assistance, substance abuse services, and community housing. 
Thanks to the support offered by PRS, clients can and do increase their 
independence and self-sufficiency, allowing them to take critical steps 
toward leading strong and fulfilling lives.
   Originally known as The Social Center, this institution began in 
1963 in the basement of a church as a social program to assist recently 
discharged patients from Western State Hospital in Staunton, VA. 
Formally incorporated in 1970, by 1974 the Social Center had grown to 
serve more than 300 individuals at three locations with a staff of 18. 
By 1989, the agency was providing a range of rehabilitative skill 
training and support services including vocational, educational, case 
management, recreational and other services. In 1992, PRS opened the 
Reston-Faraday Clubhouse and between 1994 and 2002, opened five 
residential facilities for clients who need full-time, intensive 
support.
   PRS Community Support Services helps people develop skills necessary 
to remain in their homes and out of the psychiatric hospital. In 
FY2013, 100% of the clients in that program maintained their homes and 
avoided eviction. The PRS Recovery Academy provides a curriculum-based 
day program that helps clients in the early stages of recovery master 
the essential skills of daily living and begin working toward their 
recovery and community integration goals. Over the years, PRS 
Employment Services has grown from serving just over 200 clients in 
2000 to 502 in 2013, 89% of whom retained employment for 12 months or 
longer.
   In 2011, PRS expanded the populations served to include persons with 
emotional and/or behavioral disorders irrespective of a diagnosis of 
mental illness. Thus, PRS began providing services to individuals with 
mild intellectual disabilities, substance use disorders and pervasive 
developmental disorders, including autism. All told, PRS served 920 
individuals in FY2013 and 98% of them stayed out of the hospital.
   PRS reached some other very significant milestones in 2013 by 
earning an Honorable Mention in the 2013 Washington Post Award for 
Excellence in Non-Profit Management, by being named one of the 50 Best 
Nonprofits to Work For in the United States by The NonProfit Times for 
a third year in a row, and by opening its doors for the first time in 
the District of Columbia with the DC Recovery Academy.
   Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing PRS for 
50 years of service and for its commitment to ensuring that every 
person has the right to live in dignity.

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