Following the October opening of the Prince William County Crisis Receiving Center in Woodbridge, the county is having preliminary discussions with its federal and state delegations for a similar facility to serve the county’s western end, local officials shared on Monday.
U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Rep. Eugene Vindman, D-Va. 7th District, were both on hand Monday at the behavioral health care facility for a private tour and roundtable involving robust discussion with county leaders.
During the roundtable, the senator and congressman spoke with local agency heads and representatives of Connections Health Solutions, the Crisis Receiving Center’s operator.
Joining Kaine and Vindman at the event were Andrea Bailey, Potomac District supervisor; Lisa Madron, the county’s chief transformation officer and community services director; and Princess Clark-Wendel, a community services staff member.
During the roundtable, Kaine discussed the importance of congressionally directed spending projects for fiscal 2027, as such funding was key in helping to establish the Crisis Receiving Center.
“This would be like ‘Exhibit A’ for why the CDS process is really helpful,” Kaine told InsideNoVa following the roundtable. “Prince William deciding to embrace what was a kind of novel [policy] – they call it ‘No Wrong Door,’ one-stop shop, adults, kids having mental health challenges, whether brought here by law enforcement or voluntarily walking in – recognizing they need help.”
Sen. Tim Kaine shares a laugh with therapist Laura Lungarelli (beside him) and peer specialist Carey Minnis, right, at the Prince William County Crisis Receiving Center in Woodbridge on March 9, 2026.
According to Kaine’s office, the senator secured $2 million in congressionally directed spending in fiscal 2023 specifically for the center.
“This center just does it all, and it’s unique in Virginia,” Kaine said. “In fact, it’s so unique that Prince William has had to go lobby in Richmond to get state laws adjusted to recognize centers of this kind. But who wins? Everybody who needs mental health services. And then the other big winner is the law enforcement community.”
Kaine added that in most cities, such as Richmond where he resides, “you tie up so much time and attention of law enforcement dealing with folks who are not crooks but have mental health issues.”
The senator indicated facilities such as the center help ease the burden on law enforcement and strengthen crime reduction.
Vindman cited the need for new facilities of the same type given the large geographic size and population of Prince William County.
From left, Rep. Eugene Vindman and Sen. Tim Kaine listen to staff members during a March 9, 2026, roundtable at the Prince William County Crisis Receiving Center in Woodbridge – as Andrea Bailey, Potomac District supervisor, and Princess Clark-Wendel, a community services staff member, look on.
“It’s a tremendous asset for Prince William County, for the region,” Vindman said, “and so I appreciate your work. And as we look at exporting this model to the other side of Prince William and maybe broader … thinking about how we move support for mental health through by building those coalitions are absolutely critical.”
Bailey praised the commonwealth’s continued commitment to the center across partisan changes in the governor’s office.
“My dream, my vision, my thrust is to work with our delegation and with our county to see if we can get something expanded on the western part of the county,” Bailey told InsideNoVa. “Because there are citizens there that need a crisis receiving center, or something that’s a replica … I’ve had a conversation with [state] Sen. Roem and Del. Thomas before – just very tip of the iceberg, [and] just having conversation, but I think we can make it come to fruition.”
In the same vein as Kaine’s congressionally directed spending on the Senate side, Vindman also shared that community project funding, or CPF, grants on the House side will increase from 15 last year to 20 this year across the entire 7th District – paving the way for potential new projects of the same kind.
Sen. Tim Kaine and Potomac Supervisor Andrea Bailey share a laugh outside the Prince William County Crisis Receiving Center on March 9, 2026.
Sen. Tim Kaine speaks to the media on March 9, 2026, at the Prince William County Crisis Receiving Center in Woodbridge.