Governor Stein Highlights 80% Emergency Department Diversion at Burlington Behavioral Health Center

Governor Josh Stein visited RHA Health Services’ Alamance County Behavioral Health Center in Burlington on Jan. 29 to spotlight community-based crisis care that officials say is keeping people out of hospital emergency rooms. State and local leaders used the tour and a roundtable with community partners to frame behavioral health centers as an alternative to emergency departments and to law-enforcement-driven responses.

The Alamance Behavioral Health Center opened in August 2024 and is operated by RHA Health Services. The center houses a Behavioral Health Urgent Care (BHUC) that is accessible 24/7 without an appointment or insurance and a facility-based crisis center where trained staff provide round-the-clock stabilization, officials said. NCDHHS and the governor’s office reported that 80% of individuals seen at the Burlington facility are diverted from emergency departments, a statistic Stein highlighted during the visit.

Stein toured the facility and met with staff providing direct support to people in crisis, then joined local leaders for a roundtable discussion about service delivery and gaps that remain. NCDHHS released an English translation of Stein’s remarks about the BHUC model: "I had the opportunity to visit Pitt County’s BHUC last week right before it opened, and I was impressed by what I saw. These mental health crisis centers are making a difference in people’s lives and creating healthier and safer communities, ensuring people receive the care they need precisely when they need it. We must maintain this positive momentum as we work together to build a mental health care system that makes everyone in North Carolina healthier and safer."

State health officials and advocates framed BHUCs as part of a broader expansion. Kelly Crosbie, director of the NCDHHS Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Use Services, said, "One in four people struggle with their mental health, making it critical that we ensure our loved ones are getting quality care at the right time in North Carolina." She added that "Behavioral health urgent care centers provide focused and compassionate care in a more comfortable setting designed specifically for mental health emergencies compared to an emergency department. BHUCs are a vital component in increasing access to care as we work to build a mental health system that meets the needs of all North Carolinians."

NCDHHS noted that the Pitt County BHUC Stein referenced is the seventh location the agency has helped launch in the past 18 months, and that since May 2024 BHUCs began services in Alamance, Buncombe, Caldwell, Haywood, Rockingham, and Rowan counties. The department also cited a two-year plan announced in April 2024 that included $13.5 million awarded to Trillium to open community crisis centers and BHUCs in Lenoir, New Hanover, and Pitt counties, an effort intended to increase urgent behavioral health capacity by nearly 50%.

The visit comes amid broader policy debates over public safety and mental health funding. In October 2025, Stein said "Most people with mental illnesses do not harm others" and pledged a forthcoming "comprehensive mental health plan" for the legislature while urging expansion of mobile crisis teams and better staffing for psychiatric hospitals. Reporting has noted state hospitals currently have staffing to operate roughly 550 of 900 beds, a constraint advocates say limits inpatient capacity statewide.

Local media had listed the Burlington stop on Kirkpatrick Road at 10:15 a.m., and social media posts from the visit emphasized that "Mental health care helps keep people safe," though one Instagram caption available to reporters was truncated. For Alamance County residents, the center represents a steady, local point of care that officials say reduces ER waits and law enforcement involvement. The next steps statewide will hinge on Stein’s legislative proposals, continued NCDHHS investment, and efforts to address staffing shortfalls that limit the system’s ability to absorb demand.