Prince William County unveils 24/7 mental health crisis center

Prince William County unveils 24/7 mental health crisis center

A groundbreaking facility in Prince William County aims to transform the way mental health crises are addressed. FOX 5 DC's Tisha Lewis has the story.

WOODBRIDGE, VA. - A groundbreaking facility in Prince William County aims to transform the way mental health crises are addressed.

The regional crisis receiving center is opening Thursday morning at the site of a former COVID-19 vaccine center, just steps from Potomac Mills Mall.

Facility's impact on the community

What we know:

The Crisis Receiving Center Complex will open its doors at 9:00 a.m. after a ribbon-cutting ceremony. This facility will offer separate treatment spaces for adults and children, along with outpatient and community-based behavioral health services.

Lisa Madron, Chief Transformation Officer for Prince William County, said, "We’ve been working on this for years, given some of the challenges that we’ve had with people going into behavioral health crises and really only having in-patient hospitals to turn to and sometimes not getting a bed."

The backstory:

The facility is located in a renovated space that previously housed camping equipment for the Gander Mountain store before becoming the county’s COVID vaccine and resource site. Similar initiatives in nearby areas like Fairfax County have been stalled due to funding issues.

The need for crisis support

What they're saying:

"Any of us can find ourselves needing what I call a moment, it can be anxiety, something traumatic happens," said Princess Clark-Wendel, Community Services for Prince William County.

This facility will be open 24/7 to provide immediate access to mental health support, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. The project was initially estimated to cost $7-10 million, with updated figures yet to be released.

What we don't know:

The exact cost of the facility is still awaited from Prince William County leaders.