Fredericksburg: Officials dedicate new Regional Crisis Receiving Center

The Rappahannock Area Community Services Board marked the dedication of the new Fredericksburg Regional Crisis Receiving Center on Monday.

The 79,420-square-foot site will expand same-day behavioral health crisis care for adults and children, adding 23-hour observation and children’s crisis services, and providing space for psychiatric assessment, stabilization and coordinated connections to ongoing treatment.

The site is located near the new Veterans Affairs outpatient center and a standalone emergency department, operated by Mary Washington Healthcare, and between two major hospitals.

Renovations will start next spring, with services anticipated to begin in 2027.

“Fredericksburg is building a crisis system that meets people where they are, with dignity, speed, and the right level of care,” said Secretary of Health and Human Resources Janet V. Kelly. “By expanding 23-hour observation and standing up children’s services, this project closes critical gaps for families and creates a clear front door into recovery.”

The state kicked in $12 million to support the project, with an initial grant to the Rappahannock Area Community Services Board in 2024 to construct a new CRC, followed by $5.5 million in August to purchase the larger facility and expand the scope to include relocating the Sunshine Lady House adult Crisis Stabilization Unit and adding youth CRC and CSU services.

“For years, our region has worked toward creating a space where both adults and children experiencing mental health crises can get the right help at the right time,” said Joe Wickens, executive director of the Rappahannock Area Community Services Board. “With this facility, our community will have the space, services and partnerships needed to respond with the care and urgency these individuals deserve. It’s a transformative step for Fredericksburg and the surrounding counties.”