Prince William County leaders cut the ribbon Wednesday morning on the Regional Crisis Receiving Center (CRC) — a long-anticipated mental health facility designed to give residents immediate access to behavioral health care, day or night.
Governor Glenn Youngkin joined local officials, state partners, and community advocates in Woodbridge for the ceremony outside the newly renovated building on Worth Avenue, near Potomac Mills. The governor, who previously toured the site in May 2023, called the opening “one of the most major milestones in the transformation of behavioral health, not just in the Commonwealth, but across the nation.”
“If you are in crisis, come here to get the right help right now,” Youngkin told the crowd, repeating his administration’s slogan for the Right Help, Right Now initiative, which aims to expand Virginia’s behavioral health infrastructure through new facilities, 988 crisis response lines, and mobile care teams. He praised Prince William’s leadership for moving “from conversation to action” in tackling mental health challenges.
The center — operated by Connections Health Solutions — will offer 24/7 walk-in stabilization and psychiatric care for adults and youth aged 12 and older. It will serve as a therapeutic alternative to hospital emergency rooms or incarceration for those in crisis, regardless of insurance or ability to pay. Since 1995, it’s been home to government defense contractors, retailers, and the failed mega-electronics outlet, Incredible Universe.
In 2022, the county purchased the building, most recently occupied by the retail store Gander Mountain, for $10.6 million, transforming the 155,000-square-foot space into a hub for mental health and community wellness. About $11.9 million in combined federal, state, and local funding supported the construction of the crisis receiving center itself.
A “New Dawn” for Behavioral Health
Wednesday’s ribbon-cutting featured remarks from local, state, and federal representatives, each highlighting the facility as a symbol of collaboration and compassion. Lisa Madron, who leads Prince William County’s Community Services Board, described the project as “a shared achievement built on partnership, compassion, and commitment.”
“This facility is impressive, but its purpose is even greater,” Madron said. “It represents a new dawn for behavioral health in Prince William County and our region.”
Connections Health Solutions CEO Colin LeClair said the center’s staff of 200 local professionals will provide care for an estimated 15,000 to 18,000 people each year. The facility includes 16 adult stabilization beds, 23 recliner stations for short-term observation, and dedicated youth treatment areas with their own recliners and beds.
“When people receive immediate access to a highly trained, multidisciplinary team in a center designed for behavioral health — not an overwhelmed ER or a jail — recovery is both possible and probable,” LeClair said.
County Leaders Emphasize Unity and Hope
Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chair-At-Large Deshundra L. Jefferson and Vice Chair Andrea O. Bailey led the county’s delegation at the ceremony.
Jefferson called the project a “major investment in mental health and public safety,” noting that it provides alternatives to emergency rooms and jails. “We have to meet people where they are,” she said. “If we’re going to care for our community, it’s incumbent upon us to care for the most vulnerable among us.”
Bailey, who championed the project from its earliest planning stages, described the opening as deeply personal. “This is more than a ribbon-cutting. It’s a promise that no one in Prince William County will face a mental health crisis alone,” she said. “This is an investment not just in mental health, but in humanity.”
State Leaders Praise Local Collaboration
Nelson Smith, Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, said the center would “unburden law enforcement” and give families a new path to healing. “Time and community are what heal — not just pills or Band-Aids,” Smith said.
He and Youngkin credited Prince William County’s persistence for accelerating the project’s licensing process, which is expected to be completed in record time.
Youngkin emphasized that his administration has dedicated $1.4 billion in state funding to modernize mental health services and expand capacity across Virginia. That effort, he said, includes 105 mobile crisis response teams, a fivefold increase in 988 call center responsiveness, and new facilities like the one in Woodbridge, which features 64 total treatment spaces, including youth units.
Building for the Future
County Executive Christopher Shorter and Deputy County Executive Elijah Johnson joined in celebrating the milestone, along with representatives from DMAS, DBHDS, and dozens of local organizations — including VOICE, Trillium, NAMI, Potomac Health Foundation, Sentara, and UVA Health.
Following the ribbon-cutting, guests toured the building. They participated in an interactive activity called the “New Dawn Horizon” mural, where attendees were invited to write personal messages of commitment to mental health. The artwork will be permanently displayed inside the facility.
Though Wednesday’s ceremony marked the project’s completion, officials said the center will begin accepting patients once final state licensing steps are complete.
“Prince William County has built not just a facility, but a foundation — one rooted in compassion, equity, and hope,” Bailey said.
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