Doylestown, PA – Today, officials from the Pennsylvania departments of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) and Human Services (PA DHS) toured and met with leadership and staff at Bucks County’s Bright Path Center, a first-of-its-kind facility in Pennsylvania that will begin offering emergency treatment this summer for Pennsylvanians looking for help during substance use and mental health crises.
The center is partially funded by DDAP’s portion of “Big Four” opioid settlement dollars that were a result of a multistate investigation of opioid manufacturers and distributors spearheaded by Governor Josh Shapiro when he was Attorney General, which led to settlement agreements for Pennsylvania worth billions of dollars.
The center will offer immediate access to drug and alcohol treatment and mental health services under one roof – allowing people to seek care to address both needs at once. The model and variety of services offered at Bright Path Center, such as 24-hour walk-in services for drug and alcohol assessments and onsite withdrawal management services – make it the first of its kind among crisis centers in Pennsylvania.
“The Shapiro Administration is a proud partner in this collaborative effort, as it reflects what can be achieved when we all come together – state and local governments, healthcare providers, community-based organizations and others – to prioritize our shared commitment to treatment, recovery, and healthier communities,” said DDAP Secretary Dr. Latika Davis-Jones. “We know that crisis stabilization services for individuals with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders are a lifeline. By expanding access to immediate, person-centered care, this center will strengthen the continuum of care for individuals and families in Bucks County.”
DDAP awarded the Bucks County Drug & Alcohol Commission $7 million in grant funding – out of the agency’s share of opioid settlement funds - to invest in the construction of the Bright Path Center. PA DHS also contributed funding to the Bright Path Center via the federal Community Mental Health Services Block Grant and state county base mental health funding, which Governor Shapiro has increased by $40 million since taking office – making the first new investment in this funding since 2008.
“The Shapiro Administration and the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services have made it a priority for all Pennsylvanians to have access to equitable and affordable behavioral health services. One of the services that people may need when they are in crisis is somewhere to go. Too often, our neighbors seek help at an emergency department or end up in jail when they are facing a behavioral health crisis and there’s nowhere else for them to turn,” said PA DHS Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Deputy Secretary Jen Smith. “Having facilities like the Bright Path Center that provide walk-in and crisis stabilization services in a community can make a huge difference for people because it enables them to receive appropriate and trauma-informed care in a healing environment that’s close to home.”
Bucks County Drug & Alcohol Commission is the Single County Authority (SCA) for drug and alcohol services in Bucks County, providing community assessment, capacity building, planning, implementation and evaluation to support drug and alcohol programming for the county.
“We are deeply grateful for the financial support of the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, as we welcome Bright Path Center to our Bucks County community,” said Bucks County Drug & Alcohol Commission Executive Director Diane Rosati. “Their funds represent not just an investment in the construction of Bucks County’s new crisis stabilization unit for residents with substance use and mental health issues, but will also result in respectful, welcoming, high quality, and immediate access to services. We look to Bright Path Center as a gamechanger in our community and we are enthusiastic about the summer opening.”
Bright Path Center will officially start providing care this summer and expects to serve approximately 7,000 Bucks County residents annually.
The center is designed to welcome, assess, and stabilize those experiencing urgent challenges related to mental health or drug and alcohol use by offering immediate, compassionate care to de-escalate a critical situation while also determining the best treatment path forward.
Bright Path Center will offer a full continuum of behavioral healthcare including:
- 24-hour walk-in services for drug and alcohol assessments to determine what level of care best suits the individual’s needs;
- 24-hour telephone crisis intervention services;
- 23-hour crisis stabilization units using the Living Room Model – calm, home-like environments that provide alternatives to hospital-setting emergency departments;
- Withdrawal management services;
- Short-term residential treatment;
- Secure treatment spaces that deliver quality care in a safe environment to foster wellness; and,
- Separate areas for children and adults seeking care.
“Bright Path Center demonstrates what state, county, and community partners can achieve when they work together to strengthen access to care and support people in need,” said Dave Herold, CEO of Lenape Valley Foundation and the Bright Path Center. “This center will help ensure Bucks County residents can receive compassionate, coordinated behavioral health services close to home, in an environment designed to promote dignity, healing, and recovery. We are grateful to Governor Shapiro and our partners across Pennsylvania for recognizing the importance of investing in innovative, community-based solutions that improve lives and build healthier communities.”
Commitment to Strengthening Behavioral Healthcare
This investment underscores the Shapiro Administration’s commitment to strengthening the behavioral services field so Pennsylvanians can access care with greater ease when it is needed.
For example, the 2026-27 proposed state budget includes $5 million to sustain behavioral health walk-in crisis stabilization centers through the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, prioritizing regions with limited access to immediate, in-person care and strengthening collaborations among hospitals, community providers, and local responders. The goal of the funding is to have around-the-clock crisis care in every corner of the Commonwealth through a three-pronged approach: someone to call, someone to respond, and somewhere to go.
Since taking office, Governor Shapiro has taken action to increase funding for behavioral health services throughout the Commonwealth:
- In 2023, Governor Shapiro signed an executive order creating a Behavioral Health Council to foster collaboration among stakeholders and increase accessibility of behavioral health services across the Commonwealth.
- The bipartisan 2024-25 budget built on the previous year’s budget investments – the first new funding for county programs in more than a decade – by providing an additional $20 million for county mental health programs for a total of $40 million in new funding for counties (the first increase since 2008), $5 million for crisis stabilization walk-in centers, with a focus on geographic areas that may not have a center, and continues the $100 million investment in mental health funding available for K-12 schools.
- Since the start of the Shapiro Administration, DDAP has invested $8.6 million in SUD crisis stabilization efforts through grants to four SCAs, including the Bucks County Drug & Alcohol Commission, to serve residents throughout nearly 10 counties.
To learn more about the Shapiro Administration’s behavioral health efforts visit pa.gov.
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