DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) -Heritage Behavioral Health Center is expanding its crisis response network, launching a new 24/7 walk-in behavioral health urgent care to provide round-the-clock support for all ages.
Starting Aug. 31, 2026, the Behavioral Health Urgent Care Hub (BHUCH) will expand its hours to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The expansion also introduces new Crisis Observation Services specifically for adults.
"This crisis observation is a place where folks will be assessed every two hours," says Mary Garrison, President and CEO of Heritage. "Now they can stay for as long as we need them to stay, but we'll say, "How are you doing? What supports do you need outside? Do you need to continue with us? And do you need a higher level of care?"
The urgent care hub serves as a central starting point for anyone seeking immediate mental health assistance, offering triage, crisis counseling, clinical assessments, and care coordination.
Garrison says the change is directly related to the needs of the community, and the changes they have seen.
"We've always had our crisis team 24 hours a day, but the specialized ability to really kind of meet people where they are and talk to them in the moment to do that assessment, get them into services right away, even in the middle of the night, is what's really critical at this time," said Garrison.
As part of the expansion, Heritage announced that "The Living Room" program permanently closed on Aug. 17, 2026. "The Living Room" operated as a walk-in crisis center for people dealing with mental health emergencies.
Garrison emphasized that the transition will not interrupt care, as those services are being absorbed by the expanded round-the-clock hub. Every staff member from The Living Room has been transitioned into a new role within the agency.
The urgent care space will operate out of Heritage's Downtown location until the new building on Water street is completed.
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