Catawba Hospital

09/05/2026

09/05/2026

𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐨𝐩𝐞 | 𝐌𝐲𝐤𝐚𝐥𝐚'𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲

"If you had told the little girl I once was that she would grow up to struggle with depression and anxiety after years of witnessing physical and emotional abuse, she probably wouldn’t have believed you.

I was six years old when my father went to prison for 13 years after battling addiction. In an instant, my world changed. My family looked different. There was less fighting, but there was also less noise. The people around me seemed to pull away, and we didn’t talk about what had happened. We didn’t really talk about anything.

I was confused. I was scared. I was lonely. And I was angry.

For years, therapy helped me learn something I hadn’t known how to do: name those feelings and understand that it was okay to have them. Healing didn’t erase everything. There are still days when I’m angry that my family couldn’t have been different. Days when I’m afraid that something else bad is waiting just around the corner. Days when I still wonder why things happened the way they did.

But that little girl wouldn’t believe you if you told her the rest of the story.

She wouldn’t believe that she would grow into someone strong enough to use her experiences to help others. She wouldn’t believe that she would find an incredible support system—people who would love her, support her, and stand beside her through every season of life. And she probably wouldn’t believe that one day, she would have the opportunity to be a voice for someone else who feels confused, scared, lonely, or angry.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐈 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐈 𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐤𝐞 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲.

Because silence can make people feel alone. Because talking about mental health can change lives. Because no one should feel ashamed of needing help, asking for support, or simply admitting, “I’m not okay today.”

I fight the stigma because I know what it feels like to grow up surrounded by things no one wants to talk about. I advocate because I know how powerful it can be when someone finally feels seen, heard, and understood.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐈 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐈. 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐈 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐦𝐚 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡."

09/02/2026

🎨Walk Through Creativity at Catawba Hospital 🌊🌿🌌

Catawba Hospital’s recent Art Show was more than a display of artwork, it was an experience!

Patients, with support from our PSR staff and Social Worker Rachel Strum, helped transform our space into different worlds. Visitors could walk from the ocean 🌊 into the jungle 🌿 and even travel through the galaxy 🌌, surrounded by artwork and larger-than-life creations along the way.

The creativity was everywhere! Colorful paintings, handmade sea turtles, a giant turtle, sharks, glowing planets, jungle art, flowers, sculptures and even “bamboo” made from cups were just some of the pieces on display.

🎶 And there was a soundtrack for the journey! The Catawba Hospital band performed live, making the walk-through experience even more memorable.

Events like this give our patients opportunities for creative expression, connection, accomplishment and fun. Events like this give us a chance to celebrate the talents and imagination found throughout Catawba Hospital.

A huge thank-you to our patients and the staff who dreamed, created, painted, built, decorated, performed, and brought it all together. 💙

There are WAY too many great pieces to fit into one post, so enjoy a few of our favorites

08/31/2026

We're hiring! Link to apply in the comments.

08/07/2026

We’re Hiring!

Current Openings as of 8/7/26:
Boiler Plant Operator (closes 8/10/26)
Certified Nursing Assistant (closes 8/16/26)
Clinical Information Analyst (closes 8/10/26)
Cook (closes 8/19/26)
Director of Psychosocial Rehab (closes 8/17/26)
Licensed Practical Nurse (closes 8/16/26)
Medical Officer of the Day (PT)
Patient Care Assistant (closes 8/16/26)
Registered Nurse II (closes 8/16/26)
Safety, Security, and Treatment Technician (closes 8/19/26)

This flyer is updated weekly. Positions listed under “Coming Soon” are anticipated vacancies expected to be posted this week.

Please check jobs.virginia.gov for ALL posted opportunities. Applications accepted until midnight on closing date

07/30/2026

Happy Thankful Thursday! Congratulations to this week’s DBHDS Thankful Thursday employees:

Congratulations to everyone!
Candace Brooks, Enterprise Applications Analyst – Central Office
Dr. Jessica Raasch, Psychology Supervisor — Central State Hospital
Steven Barron, Chief Forensic Coordinator — Central State Hospital

Especially our own Catawba Employees!
Claira Spencer, RN — Catawba Hospital
Shelly Fisher, Food Service Manage / Interim Director of Food & Dietary Services — Catawba Hospital

This week's DBHDS employees are Candace Brooks, C...

07/29/2026

Join our team!
We’re Hiring!

Current Openings as of 7/29/26:
Boiler Plant Operator (closes 8/4/26)
Director of Psychosocial Rehab (closes 8/3/26)
Medical Officer of the Day (PT) (closes 8/23/26)
Public Safety Officer (closes 7/28/26)

Coming Soon (repost by 7/30/26)
Certified Nursing Assistant
Clinical Information Analyst
Licensed Practical Nurse
Patient Care Technician
Registered Nurse II

This flyer is updated weekly. Positions listed under “Coming Soon” are anticipated vacancies expected to be posted this week.

Please check jobs.virginia.gov for ALL posted opportunities. Applications accepted until midnight on closing date

07/21/2026

We are currently seeking talented individuals to join our team! Please find a list of our current vacancies below. Link in the comments!