WellSpan Health today announces the opening of the WellSpan Behavioral Health Walk-In Crisis Center in Adams County, expanding immediate, community,” said Michael Cogliano Sr., vice president of WellSpan Health and president of WellSpan Gettysburg Hospital. “This center provides immediate, compassionate support while helping connect people with the right care, at the right time and in the right setting outside of the emergency department.”
“Mental health crises don’t follow a schedule, so expanding access to high-quality available care right in the community is essential,” said Dr. Ken Rogers, vice president and chief medical officer, WellSpan Behavioral Health. “This Walk-In Crisis Center was designed to reduce barriers and stigma, offering a calm, therapeutic environment when crisis strikes where people can be assessed, stabilized and connected to the next steps in their treatment journey.”
The Walk-In Crisis Center model supports individuals of all ages experiencing acute emotional, mental or behavioral distress. Services and features include walk-in access; same-day assessment by behavioral health professionals; comprehensive suicide and violence risk assessments; short-term treatment and stabilization in a comfortable, safe and therapeutic setting; and connections to ongoing outpatient and community-based support.
Upon arrival, individuals are greeted by a trained care team and guided through a private evaluation to understand immediate needs and safety concerns. The center is staffed by a multidisciplinary behavioral health team that may include licensed clinicians, nurses, peer support and other behavioral health professionals who collaborate to create a personalized stabilization plan and connect individuals to follow-up care.
Individuals who come to the center with higher levels of medical need such as a physical health emergency will be transported to a hospital emergency department for care. In addition to walk-in services, WellSpan Crisis Intervention will continue to provide mobile crisis care in both York and Adams counties.
The center is made possible through <a Responding early and compassionately during moments of crisis not only supports recovery — it helps reduce the need for more restrictive services and leads to better long-term outcomes for individuals and families," said James Myers, regional director for Community Care Behavioral Health.
For individuals experiencing a mental health crisis that does not require immediate medical care, the Walk-In Crisis Center offers a direct option for support without an appointment. To learn more, visitwww.WellSpan.org/GettysburgCrisis.
Additionally, Adams County residents can call the same local crisis line, 717-851-5320 or 800-673-2496, at any time and access mobile crisis services.
Mental health and wellbeingNews release
