A first-of-its-kind facility in Pennsylvania has broken ground in Bucks County to serve as a walk-in, standalone crisis stabilization center.
The 22,000-square-foot Bright Path Center will be strategically located next to the existing Lenape Valley Foundation site at 500 North West Street, on the grounds of but separate from Doylestown Hospital, in Doylestown Township.
Construction is expected to begin this summer, with a target opening slated for late 2025.
The ceremonial groundbreaking involved staff from the Lenape Valley Foundation, the Bucks County Commissioners, and a number of other partners on Tuesday.
Sharon Curran, president and CEO of Lenape Valley Foundation, emphasized the comprehensive nature of the services that will be offered at the new center.
“Mental illness, substance misuse and addiction, and intellectual disabilities do not discriminate; they are found in every community, everywhere in the world. The difference is how the community responds to these challenges,” said Curran.
The facility will offer 24/7 access to behavioral health professionals ready to help individuals and families facing urgent challenges related to mental health, drug and alcohol use, and intellectual disabilities.
The center is designed with separate spaces for children and adults to offer compassionate, trauma-informed care, officials said.
During the groundbreaking ceremony, Commissioners Chairperson Diane Ellis-Marseglia highlighted the center’s future impact, particularly for local families.
“In honor of all the mothers who will be able to find help when their children, of any age, need it – and all the mothers who didn’t have a place like Bright Path Center to go to when they needed it,” she said.
This project represents a collaborative effort among Lenape Valley Foundation, Doylestown Health, the Bucks County Department of Behavioral Health/Developmental Programs, the Bucks County Drug and Alcohol Commission, and Magellan Behavioral Health. The Lenape Valley Foundation will run the center.
“The Bright Path Center will be just that – a bright path leading the way to recovery and resiliency for those entering its doors,” Curran said.
Support for the Bright Path Center, which was announced last year, has received from the Doylestown Township supervisors, the Bucks County Commissioners, and state and federal officials.
Those backing the project said The Bright Path Center is expected to become a resource in Bucks County to help stabilize those in immediate crisis and guide them toward long-term recovery and resilience.
