Ballad Health breaks ground on 24/7 walk-in crisis center, expanding behavioral health services in Southwest Virginia

Ballad Health leaders, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, state and local officials and community partners gathered on Monday to officially break ground on a new 24/7 walk-in crisis center at Ridgeview Pavilion, marking a major step forward in providing immediate, life-saving support for individuals experiencing behavioral health crises in Southwest Virginia.

Once completed, the walk-in crisis center will provide access to behavioral health professionals – 24 hours a day, seven days a week – to anyone in crisis, eliminating delays and reducing the need for emergency department visits or law enforcement intervention. The Center is intended for patients experiencing behavioral health emergencies such as suicidal or homicidal ideation, acute psychosis, auditory and/or visual hallucinations or any other extreme mental or emotional crises. It will not provide care for physical illnesses and injuries. Services will include triage, medical screening exams, psychiatric evaluation, crisis intervention and stabilization, with referral and transition to the next level of care.

“Behavioral health is among the most urgent challenges facing our communities, and it requires bold, collaborative solutions,” said Alan Levine, chairman and chief executive officer of Ballad Health. “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.”

Funded through the 2024 Virginia Special Session I Budget Bill, the new center will be located within Ridgeview Pavilion in Bristol and supported by more than $3 million in state funding. Ballad Health will renovate over 6,000 square feet of clinical space to create a safe, hospital-based environment equipped for psychiatric evaluation, stabilization and care coordination. The Center is expected to open in Fall 2026.

The new facility aligns with Governor Glenn Youngkin’s Right Help, Right Now behavioral health initiative, which is transforming crisis care across Virginia by expanding the 988-Crisis lifeline, mobile crisis units and community-based crisis centers.

“Today we take another step toward ensuring every Virginian can get the right help, right now, no matter where they live,” said Gov. Youngkin. “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.”

Licensed behavioral health professionals will staff the facility and will collaborate closely with local community services boards to ensure smooth care transitions and long-term support for patients. Once complete, the facility will improve health outcomes, reduce barriers to care and ease the strain on hospital emergency departments.

“This is a major step forward for our communities,” said Tammy Albright, vice president and chief executive officer of Ballad Health behavioral health services. “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.”

Federal, state and local officials also voiced strong support for the initiative, recognizing its impact on communities across Southwest Virginia.

“Expanding access to behavioral health care is essential as we continue to fight the opioid crisis and its devastating impact on families in Southwest Virginia,” said Congressman Morgan Griffith of Virginia’s 9th District. “By investing in prevention, treatment and recovery, we are building stronger, healthier communities, and I am proud to support this important partnership between Ballad Health and the Commonwealth.”

“As a healthcare provider, I have seen firsthand how the opioid crisis has devastated families across Southwest Virginia,” said Senator Todd Pillion, a practicing pediatric dentist. “That’s why projects like the new 24/7 crisis center at Ridgeview Pavilion are so critical. By providing immediate access to care for those in crisis, we are not only helping patients find a path to recovery, but also supporting our hospitals, law enforcement and communities. This is a powerful example of what we can accomplish when state leaders, healthcare providers and communities work together – and it is exactly the kind of collaborative, solutions-focused investment we need to turn the tide against addiction and give hope back to our region.

“As law enforcement officers, we often find ourselves transporting individuals in crisis long distances to receive the care they need,” said Chief Byron Ashbrook, Chief of Police for the City of Bristol, Va. “While ensuring their safety is a responsibility we take seriously, every hour an officer spends on the road or in the hospital is an hour they are not in the community protecting our citizens. The new 24/7 crisis center at Ridgeview Pavilion will provide timely, local access to care, reducing the burden on our officers and allowing us to keep more focus on public safety. This is a win for patients, families and the communities we serve.”

Expanding access to behavioral health care

The Ridgeview Pavilion walk-in crisis center is one part of Ballad Health’s system-wide strategy to expand behavioral health and substance use services in high-need areas of Southwest Virginia.

Additional initiatives include:

• Strong Futures in Norton will be a residential and outpatient treatment facility, set to open in late 2026, for pregnant and parenting women with substance use disorder, allowing children to remain with their mothers during treatment.
• A new inpatient psychiatric unit for children and adolescents is planned for Russell County Hospital in Lebanon, with an estimated opening in early 2027.
• Expanded inpatient and outpatient behavioral health services, including integrating behavioral health services into primary care settings, and continued partnerships with community providers.

“The success of this center will come from strong collaboration — with the Commonwealth, with local leaders, with law enforcement, schools, faith communities and families,” Levine said. “Together, we are building a network of support that ensures people in crisis are met with compassion, dignity and expert care right here at home. This kind of partnership is how we change lives and strengthen the future health of our region.”

Construction on the Ridgeview Pavilion 24/7 walk-in crisis center will begin this fall, with an anticipated opening in 2026. To learn more about Ballad Health behavioral services, visit www.balladhealth.org. If you are living with substance abuse or any other mental health issue and you need immediate assistance, please reach out to the 24/7 Respond Crisis Help Line at 1-800-366-1132.