ACCELERATING ACCESS TO SERVICE

The Villa will soon be home to the region’s first emergency room alternative for youth experiencing mental health crisis. A new Crisis Receiving Center (CRC) launching in partnership with Henrico County is designed to give children and their families immediate access to mental health care, in their own community, and divert hospitalization.

Many parents and caregivers with a child in crisis first turn to hospital emergency departments for help, where they can wait days for appropriate treatment. Long wait times at

St.

County break ground on Central Virginia’s first youth Crisis Receiving Center

already overburdened hospitals can add to distress and escalate the crisis.

Open 24/7 for call and walk-in service, the CRC will provide rapid and comprehensive assessment, crisis intervention services, and referrals to community-based providers for ongoing support–all within 23 hours of an admission.

“This Crisis Receiving Center specifically designed for youth marks a major milestone in expanding our community’s access to essential mental health care,” said Kathleen Burke Barrett, CEO of St. Joseph’s Villa.

“We’re proud to collaborate with Henrico County to address the growing need for crisis services, and ensure youth can receive skilled support when they most urgently need it.”

The demand for youth crisis services is at a historic high. At the Villa, we’ve seen a surge both in the number of families seeking mental health services, and in the intensity of care needed. According to the Virginia Department of Health, emergency room visits for suicidal thoughts, self-harm, or suicide attempts among 9 to 18-yearold Virginians more than doubled from 2016-2021.