Orange County officials and community members broke ground on the Jamezetta Bedford Crisis Care Center in Hillsborough on October 22, 2026. The facility aims to provide specialized behavioral health urgent care, reducing reliance on emergency departments and law enforcement for individuals experiencing mental health crises. The center is expected to open in 2028.
Clinical Services and Therapeutic Design
The facility is designed to move beyond traditional medical models by offering a “holistic and trauma-informed” environment, according to Orange County Deputy County Manager Caitlin Fenhagen. Unlike standard emergency rooms, which often lack the specialized infrastructure to stabilize acute psychiatric distress, this center serves both adults and children over the age of four. The clinical workflow includes a 23-hour behavioral health urgent care unit, where patients undergo rapid evaluation and stabilization, followed by a 16-bed facility-based crisis unit for those requiring stays of up to two weeks.
The site, located on Waterstone Drive, will also feature a peer living room and a behavioral health resource library. These spaces are intended to foster a sense of community recovery rather than clinical isolation. By integrating discharge planning with broader community resources, such as food and housing assistance, the project seeks to address the social determinants of health that frequently contribute to repeat crisis episodes.
Center Provides Psychiatric Stabilization Alternatives
- Crisis Diversion: The center provides an alternative to hospital emergency rooms, which are often ill-equipped for long-term psychiatric stabilization.
- Trauma-Informed Care: The facility prioritizes a therapeutic environment that minimizes the stress of medical intervention, which is essential for patients in acute distress.
- Continuum of Care: The model includes both short-term “walk-in” support and longer-term residential beds, ensuring patients are not discharged before they are stabilized.
Board of Commissioners Approved Construction Price
The initiative represents a multi-year effort involving collaboration between local government, UNC Health, and law enforcement. The Orange County Board of Commissioners approved a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) of $22,906,906 in June 2026 for the construction phase. The project was managed by Gilbane Construction Company, which was selected through a competitive bidding process that concluded in April 2026. This process resulted in cost savings compared to initial estimates, allowing for the inclusion of expanded services.
| Feature | Service Capacity |
|---|---|
| Urgent Care | Up to 23-hour observation and evaluation |
| Target Completion | Fall 2027 (Opening early 2028) |
Patients with Severe Physical Symptoms Should Use Emergency Departments
Patients experiencing physiological symptoms—such as seizures, acute chest pain, or severe physical injury—should continue to utilize traditional hospital emergency departments, which are equipped for advanced life support and surgical intervention. If an individual is in immediate danger of self-harm or harming others, emergency services (911) remain the primary point of contact for safety and transport.
Orange County broke ground on the Jamezetta Bedford Crisis Care Center, a major step in expanding trauma‑informed behavioral health services and offering alternatives to emergency departments. The center honors Commissioner Bedford’s legacy and is set to open in Spring 2028. pic.twitter.com/9Zhsf11nYI
The Legacy of Commissioner Jamezetta Bedford
The facility is named in honor of the late Orange County Commissioner Jamezetta Bedford, who passed away on June 21, 2026. Bedford was a long-term advocate for the project, serving as an original member of the Crisis Diversion Facility Subcommittee. Her work focused on reducing the “incarceration burden” and the reliance on the criminal justice system for mental health issues. UNC Health Director of Psychiatry Services Barbara-Ann Bybel noted that the project’s success is rooted in the diverse stakeholder support, including law enforcement and healthcare providers, which mirrors the collaborative approach Bedford championed during her eight years in office.
The construction is slated for completion in late 2027, with the facility expected to open its doors to the public in early 2028. The long-term impact on regional behavioral health outcomes will depend on the integration of this center with existing community services and the ability to maintain the planned staffing levels for specialized psychiatric care.
