WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01) announced that he sent a letter to Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee for the Virginia House of Delegates, The Honorable Luke Torian, urging the Virginia General Assembly to use a portion of the remaining federal COVID-19 relief funds allocated to Virginia to establish a Crisis Receiving and Stabilization Center in Prince William County.
In this letter, Congressman Wittman highlights the benefit of a Crisis Receiving and Stabilization Center in Prince William County to provide much-needed access to mental health services to the over half-a-million residents of Prince William County and surrounding areas. Additionally, the letter outlines that a center of this nature would reduce the dependency on the stressed hospital system and the impact on public safety officers and staff.
To read Congressman Wittman’s full letter, and to learn more about the services that this proposed Crisis Receiving and Stabilization Center would provide, scroll below or click here.
October 27, 2021
The Honorable Luke E. Torian
Chairman
House Appropriations Committee
Virginia House of Delegates
Pocahontas Building
900 E Main Street, 13th Floor
Richmond, 23219
Dear Chairman Torian,
Today, I write to thank you for your sincere consideration by the Virginia General Assembly for using federal COVID-19 relief funds to establish a Crisis Receiving and Stabilization Center in Prince William County, Virginia. As our nation, and the Commonwealth, continue to find our way through the COVID-19 pandemic, it is critical that we support those individuals most vulnerable.
The impacts of mental health have major reverberations throughout our communities. From students experiencing anxiety and intense loneliness due to extended virtual learning, to extreme cases of depression as a result of a veteran’s PTSD, the need for effective and available mental health services to support those suffering from a mental health crisis or occurrence is a critical necessity.
I am happy to express my enthusiastic support for the establishment of a Crisis Receiving and Stabilization Center in Prince William County to provide much-needed access to mental health services to the over half-a-million residents of Prince William County and surrounding areas. The establishment of this Center reduces the dependency on the stressed hospital system. Furthermore, it reduces the impact on public safety officers and staff. From January through March 2021 Prince William County public safety officers spent 3,003 hours waiting for individuals under Emergency Custody Orders to be evaluated for inpatient hospitalization. The proposed Crisis Receiving and Stabilization Center will provide behavioral therapy support, outpatient and integrated care, intensive community support, and rehabilitative support services. This center will make an enormous positive impact on the region.
I respectfully request that you consider using remaining COVID-19 relief funds to establish the proposed Crisis Receiving and Stabilization Center for Prince William County. Thank you in advance and please do not hesitate to contact my office at 202-225-4261 if we can provide you with additional information.
Sincerely,
Robert J. Wittman
Member of Congress
