Ballad Health has started construction on a new 24/7 Walk-In Crisis Center at Ridgeview Pavilion in Bristol, Virginia. The facility aims to improve immediate access to behavioral health services for residents in Southwest Virginia.
The project is part of Governor Glenn Youngkin’s Right Help, Right Now behavioral health initiative, which began in December 2022 as a three-year plan to overhaul the state’s behavioral health system. The initiative seeks to provide people experiencing mental health crises with timely support, appropriate response options, and dedicated facilities.
Governor Youngkin stated, “Today we take another step toward ensuring every Virginian can get the right help, right now, no matter where they live. By expanding crisis care in Southwest Virginia, we are strengthening the safety net for families in need and easing the strain on emergency rooms and law enforcement.”
Alan Levine, chairman and CEO of Ballad Health, said, “Behavioral health is among the most urgent challenges facing our communities, and it requires bold, collaborative solutions. This center is a public-private investment that ensures people in crisis have immediate, around-the-clock access to safe, compassionate care — while also easing pressure on our emergency departments. We are grateful to Governor Glenn Youngkin and the Virginia General Assembly for making this vision a reality.”
Secretary of Health and Human Resources Janet V. Kelly added: “Today’s groundbreaking is about more than a building—it’s about delivering hope, safety, and timely care to Southwest Virginians when they need it most. Right Help, Right Now is transforming our behavioral health system from end to end, and this new 24/7 Walk-In Crisis Center ensures that families in Bristol and surrounding communities are no longer left waiting in their darkest hours. This is what real progress looks like.”
Funding for the center comes from over $3 million included in the 2024 Virginia Special Session I Budget Bill. Ballad Health will renovate more than 6,000 square feet within Ridgeview Pavilion for psychiatric evaluation, stabilization, and coordinated care. The facility is expected to open by fall 2026.
Once operational, the center will offer round-the-clock access to behavioral health professionals for anyone experiencing crises such as suicidal or homicidal ideation or acute psychosis. Services will include triage assessments, medical screenings, psychiatric evaluations, crisis intervention and stabilization efforts along with referrals for further care.
Tammy Albright of Ballad Health Behavioral Health Services noted: “This is a major step forward for our communities. For too long, families in crisis have faced limited options. By providing crisis care that’s available around the clock, we’re relieving pressure on our emergency departments, supporting law enforcement and most importantly offering hope and healing for individuals and families who need it most.”
Congressman Morgan Griffith of Virginia’s 9th District also commented: “I congratulate Ballad Health, Governor Youngkin and state legislators on their work to deliver critical access for behavioral health care services in Southwest Virginia. By launching a 24/7 walk-in behavioral health clinic at Ridgeview Pavilion, families and patients can receive immediate services and help in Bristol.”
The Right Help, Right Now plan focuses on same-day access to crisis care while reducing reliance on law enforcement agencies for mental health emergencies. It expands community-based services outside hospitals while addressing prevention strategies for substance use disorders and supporting workforce development within behavioral health fields.
For more information about the Right Help Right Now plan visit https://www.governor.virginia.gov/right-help-right-now/.
