Bright Path Center will offer crisis stabilization with integrated services for mental health, drug and alcohol use disorder to Bucks County residents.
Once completed the estimated $15 million facility currently under construction on the campus of Doylestown Health: Doylestown Hospital will be accessible to walk in and drop off to individuals with no intake appointments needed.
Bucks County Commissioners approved $5 million toward the project at a regular business meeting August 6.
“I’m a big supporter of this project. Every family sooner or later is going to have to deal with a loved one with a mental health or drug and alcohol addiction issue,” said Bucks County Commissioner Gene DiGirolamo.
The average cost for drug rehabilitation services is about $13,475, according to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics website – though programs, facilities, length of stay and individualized needs mean the real costs vary widely.
“One of its primary uses is to reduce boarding in hospital emergency department settings and start treatment right away,” said Donna Duffy Grimm, administrator at the Bucks County Department of Behavioral Health/Developmental Programs.
Doylestown Hospital donated the land for the estimated 20,000-square-foot facility.
The project is in partnership with the county, Doylestown Health, the Lenape Valley Foundation and money from Bucks County Opioid Settlement Funds.
Among the nearly $15 million project’s goals is to provide relief to area hospital emergency departments, begin appropriate treatment immediately, offer a walk in and drop off model for intake and care and provide additional referrals and resources after treatment ends to those who need them.
Bright Path Center will be open to children and adults.
A crisis residential program will also be provided – and the length of stay was suggested as “a couple of weeks.” No maximum day count for a residential stay was provided at the meeting.
Withdrawal management services from substance use disorder will also be provided at Bright Path. Peer support, recovery specialists, discharge service resources and certified peer specialists trained in mental health will be available to adults and children, according to Duffy Grimm.
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Diane Rosati, executive director of Bucks County Drug & Alcohol Commission, Inc., said Bright Path was planned “with many stakeholders, including Doylestown Hospital and Lenape Valley Foundation, who will be licensed drug and alcohol and mental health center [providers along with] local providers.”
Rosati said Bright Path is an example of “braided funding” so all the funding does not land or become the responsibility of one group or organization.
“With Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs opioid settlement funding, and with federal funding, we’re able to braid those funds together on this really significant construction project,” she said.
Funding cuts, a lack of providers and long wait times for services, treatment and care can have catastrophic results for those in crisis who are suffering from mental illness or substance use disorder.
County Commissioner and board President Bob Harvie praised the collaborative partnerships that are making Bright Path Center become a reality in the face of federal funding cuts and state funding uncertainty.
“I think [Bright Path Center] is a great example of what may unfortunately be coming down the pike when you don’t have enough federal or state investment in things like mental health or substance abuse. The problems don’t just go away … and the county is picking up the responsibility to make sure people get services,” he said.
Across the country, “somebody is going to have to pay the bill and provide the services … and it’s probably going to be the counties,” Harvie added.
