Williamsburg Yorktown Daily

WILLIAMSBURG — Colonial Behavioral Health, in partnership with the Commonwealth of Virginia, broke ground on a new Center for Support & Wellness Wednesday morning with Gov. Glenn Youngkin in attendance.

The new state-funded facility will expand access to urgent, compassionate behavioral health care across the region, according to CBH, and is fully funded through Youngkin’s “Right Help, Right Now” initiative, a statewide plan to strengthen Virginia’s behavioral health system and ensure individuals in crisis receive timely, appropriate care.

“This facility will be a cornerstone for crisis response in our community,” said Ryan Ashe, Colonial Behavioral Health Board Chair and James City County Fire Chief. “As first responders, we see the toll of untreated mental illness and addiction every day. This Center represents a new, more effective way forward–one that provides people the care they need, when and where they need it.”

The Center for Support & Wellness will include:

• A Crisis Receiving Center, offering 24/7 stabilization and support as an alternative to hospital emergency departments.
• A Crisis Stabilization Center, providing short-term residential care with access to psychiatric, nursing, counseling, and peer support services.
• A CIT Assessment Center, where law enforcement can safely connect individuals to trained clinicians rather than jail or emergency custody.
• A hub for mobile crisis teams, who respond directly to homes, schools, and workplaces to intervene before situations escalate.

David Coe, Executive Director of Colonial Behavioral Health, emphasized the deeply personal importance of the new facility.

“We all understand the heavy toll that mental health challenges take on our communities, our region, and our Commonwealth. But the true weight is carried by the individuals and families who wake up each day and face the harsh realities of serious mental illness,” he said. “These realities are intensely personal for each of us who have faced or continue to face them — including my family. While there are no easy fixes, we intend to offer new opportunities and support we believe can and will make a difference.”

Gov. Youngkin’s presence at the groundbreaking underscored the administration’s commitment to addressing behavioral health needs statewide, CBH said.

“Today’s groundbreaking is a clear sign of the progress we are making through “Right Help, Right Now.” Across Virginia, we have more than quadrupled calls to 988, expanded to over 100 mobile crisis teams operating 24/7, and continue to grow crisis centers statewide,” Youngkin said in a release from the Governor’s Office. “This progress showcases the forward momentum for Colonial Behavioral Health, whose decades of service have made this community stronger. With this new center, Colonial is expanding that legacy and ensuring that when a Virginian is in crisis, help and hope are never out of reach.” 

The center is expected to open in September of 2026 and will serve residents across the region.

“With this center, we are building a system that is proactive, person-centered, and recovery-oriented,” added Coe. “It’s about ensuring that no one faces a mental health or substance use crisis alone.”