The newly completed DART Center combines behavioral health treatment and criminal justice diversion services in a nearly $20 million investment aimed at improving outcomes for vulnerable populations.HighlightsBucks County unveiled the completed Diversion, Assessment, Restoration and Treatment (DART) Center in Doylestown Township.The 23,000-square-foot facility will serve adults with serious mental illness and co-occurring substance use disorders.The project carries an estimated construction cost of approximately $19.8 million.The center is designed to divert eligible individuals away from incarceration and reduce recidivism.Construction partners included Magnum, Inc., USA Architects and Jingoli.
Bucks County officials have completed construction of a new behavioral health and criminal justice diversion facility that reflects a growing national trend toward specialized infrastructure designed to address mental health challenges within correctional systems.
The Diversion, Assessment, Restoration and Treatment Center, known as DART, is expected to begin operations in the coming weeks at a site in Doylestown Township formerly occupied by the county’s Women’s Community Corrections Center.
Courtesy: Photo by Bucks County
The 23,000-square-foot facility was developed to provide treatment, assessment and transitional support services for adults experiencing serious mental illness and substance use disorders who are involved with the criminal justice system.
County leaders say the center is intended to reduce incarceration rates among individuals requiring behavioral health intervention while also lowering recidivism and reliance on state institutional care.
The DART Center includes multiple operational units supporting short-term stabilization, competency restoration services and longer-term community integration programs. At full capacity, the facility can accommodate up to 28 residents simultaneously.
What This Means For Construction Owners
For construction owners and public-sector developers, the project highlights increasing investment in specialized civic and healthcare-adjacent infrastructure designed to bridge gaps between law enforcement, behavioral health services and community-based treatment systems.
The total projected cost of the facility is approximately $19.8 million, funded primarily through federal and state resources alongside county contributions.
Project delivery involved a range of regional construction and engineering firms, including general contractor Magnum, Inc., architecture firm USA Architects, engineering consultants Carroll Engineering and Windward, as well as construction manager Jingoli.
Additional project partners included Farfield Company for electrical systems, Integrity Mechanical, Inc. for mechanical services, Vision Mechanical for plumbing work and Guy M. Cooper Mechanical for fire protection installation.
Across the United States, counties and municipalities are increasingly investing in diversion-focused facilities as correctional systems face mounting pressure to address mental health and substance use needs more effectively. Public agencies are also exploring alternatives to incarceration that reduce strain on jails while improving long-term community outcomes.
The DART Center complements broader Bucks County initiatives that integrate behavioral health resources with law enforcement and judicial systems, including co-responder programs and specialized treatment courts.
For public infrastructure owners, the project demonstrates how civic construction programs are evolving to support integrated healthcare, rehabilitation and justice-oriented service models through purpose-built facilities.
Originally reported by Bucks County