York, Pa., April 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — WellSpan Health and community partners gathered today to mark the opening of the WellSpan Behavioral Health Walk-In Crisis Center in York, expanding immediate, community-based behavioral health services for individuals experiencing a mental health crisis through compassionate, nonjudgmental care in a safe and supportive environment.
With operations 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the Walk-In Crisis Center offers an alternative to emergency department care by providing on-site behavioral health assessment, stabilization and connection to ongoing support with no appointment or referral needed. The center is located in the Loretta Claiborne Building at 605 S. George St., Suite 100, York, PA 17401.
“This center offers people in crisis a welcoming front door to care right here in our community,” said Dr. Alyssa Moyer, vice president of WellSpan Health and president of WellSpan York Hospital. “By providing immediate, compassionate support outside of the emergency department, we’re helping ensure the right care, at the right time, in the right setting.”
“Mental health crises don’t follow a schedule, and care shouldn’t either,” 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 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 York and Adams counties.
The center is made possible through partnership with York/Adams HealthChoices and the Mental Health/Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities programs in York and Adams counties, along with Community Care Behavioral Health.
“We know that access to mental health services, especially in an emergency, can be the difference between life and death,” said York County President Commissioner Julie Wheeler. “Thanks to this partnership with WellSpan, York Countians who are in the midst of a mental health crisis now have a safe place to go to get treatment beyond the hospital emergency room. This is just the beginning, as we hope to expand access to walk-in mental health services throughout our county. Because a healthier York County creates a safer and more vibrant York County.”
“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, visit www.WellSpan.org/BehavioralHealth.
- WellSpan Behavioral Health Walk-in Crisis Center opens in York