Life’s Journey Mental Health Service Agency Expands its Reach and Offerings with Purchase of New Building in Portsmouth

(Portsmouth, Va., July 26, 2023) – The staff of Life’s Journey can now help more people with mental health needs in Hampton Roads with the opening of its third practice at 3300 High Street, Suite 6 in Portsmouth. In addition to offices in Norfolk and Hampton, the new Portsmouth practice will offer comprehensive behavioral health care services, including intensive outpatient treatment for substance abuse, outpatient therapy, psychiatric services, substance abuse treatment, and evidence-based Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) services for people with severe mental illnesses. 

“We are seeing an increase in psychiatric care, mental health and substance abuse treatment needs across the board,” said Benicia Hernandez, LPC, LSATP, CEO of Life’s Journey. “Extending our footprint into the Portsmouth area means we can help more people who are struggling to cope with anxiety, depression, addiction and severe mental illness in our communities.”

Accredited as a service provider by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), Life’s Journey opened its first office in 2016, offering a comprehensive array of mental health service offerings including mental health skill building services and crisis stabilization services. 

Life’s Journey Portsmouth will be the hub of a new Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) program, which uses a team approach in providing treatment, rehabilitation and support services for individuals diagnosed with severe and persistent mental illness. 

One of the oldest evidence-based practices of its kind, ACT has been shown to reduce hospitalization, increase housing stability and improve the quality of life for people with the most several symptoms of mental illness. Depending on the situation, the ACT care team may include a psychiatric care provider, nursing staff, mental health workers, substance abuse disorder staff and peer support specialist, among others. Team members work together to help clients manage their conditions and medications, along with daily living tasks. 

Hernandez and her staff operate a full-service office at 2551 Eltham Ave. in Norfolk, and a satellite office at 2713 Neil Armstrong Parkway in Hampton. 

Seeing growing needs for mental health services in the region, Hernandez purchased the Portsmouth office building in 2021, during the midst of the COVID pandemic. Plans to renovate the building were initially delayed as she searched for a contractor. Last August, when work on the building was well underway, Hernandez experienced a personal setback when she had a transient ischemic attack (TIA). 

While the stroke lasted only minutes, the physical recovery took much longer. Hernandez, accustomed to working a 60-hour week, leaned on her staff to run the company and oversee the renovation. 

“God gave me a little tap on my shoulder and said, ‘You must regroup in a new way,’” Hernandez said. “I had to go from being a leader to leaning on everyone else. My team really pulled together in their roles, stood up to the tasks at hand and never missed a beat.”

Life’s Journey’s senior leadership—Isabel Hernandez, CFO, Lakisha Holley, CCO, and Shanté Williams, COO—took a “business-as-usual” tactic for Life’s Journey, while keeping tabs on the new building renovation. 

Formerly occupied by a medical facility, the one-story office building was constructed in the 1960s and underwent a complete remodel “down to the studs,” Hernandez said. 

The 5,046-square-foot building now features new fuchsia-colored awnings and a blush-pink interior to match Life’s Journey’s signature color scheme. 

“I am seeing more needs in our region than ever before,” Hernandez said. “No matter where you are on your journey, we’re here to help, on so many levels.”  

For information about services, and to view the latest job openings, visit www.lifesjourneyservices.com.