‘Beacon of Hope’ crisis center celebration in Sedalia

SEDALIA — Burrell Behavioral Health’s new behavioral health crisis center in Sedalia will offer 24/7 walk-in crisis care for adults 18 and older, immediate psychiatric support, brief therapy and peer support, and no appointment is needed.  

Burrell will also move some of its ongoing clinical operations in Sedalia to the new clinic. While they are in the same building, the behavioral health crisis center and the clinic will have separate entrances, with great care places on client privacy built into the design. 

Burrell Behavioral Health hosted a ceremonial ribbon cutting for a behavioral health crisis center and mental health clinic on Friday, July 18. Behavioral health crisis services will be available at 1801 W. Main St. With an opening date to be announced soon. 

U.S. Rep. Mark Alford, R-Missouri, helped cut the ribbon for the Sedalia clinic and behavioral health crisis center. He called the clinic a “game changer” for Sedalia and surrounding rural areas. 

“Sedalia and surrounding communities deserve immediate accessible support when crisis strikes,” Alford said. “Burrell Behavioral Health is a beacon of hope, serving more than 40,000 Missourians across 18 counties with therapy, psychiatry, addiction recovery and crisis intervention. This new crisis center here [in Sedalia] is a game changer for west-central Missouri.” 

Burrell Behavioral Health is part of Brightli, a parent organization with more than 6,500 team members working for better behavioral health outcomes in five U.S. states. Brightli CEO C.J. Davis said the Sedalia site is but one example of a larger effort to bring the best practices in mental health to unserved and/or underserved communities. 

“We have now become that ambition, that area of health care where every one of us is touched somehow by addiction and mental health services,” Davis said. “Fifty percent of people, especially adults who need behavioral health services do not have the ability to receive them because of barriers. This building will be a symbol of breaking down those barriers.” 

Nora Bock, Director of the Division of Behavioral Health for the Missouri Department of Mental Health, praised the collaboration between nonprofit, state and federal government agencies that went into placing the crisis center in Pettis County. 

“The emergence of behavioral health crisis centers has been one of the most monumental changes in behavioral health care in that time period,” Bock said. “We are so glad to partner with organizations like Burrell to create spaces that are welcoming for individuals in crisis.” 

The contractor for the Burrell Behavioral Health project is Preferred Construction of Sedalia. Hood-Rich Architecture of Springfield designed the building. 

As of July 1, 2025, Burrell’s Third Street clinic in Sedalia has 36 full time staff members and one part time psychiatrist. The Burrell Main Street clinic has 22 full-time staff and five part-time staff members. 

“This is not just bricks and mortar behind us; this is a moment for us to celebrate the ability for us to change lives,” Davis said. “We change lives, we alter lives, and most importantly we save lives.” 

Burrell Behavioral Health’s Columbia crisis center served about 2,000 clients from July 1, 2023 to July 1, 2024. It led to $1.58 million in estimated cost savings to the community by diverting people from the Boone County Jail and from emergency departments at Columbia hospitals. 

About Burrell Behavioral Health: Burrell Behavioral Health serves 18 Missouri counties and provides behavioral health, substance-use treatment, case management, crisis, developmental disability, and employment services. Learn more at burrellcenter.com 

About Brightli: Brightli, Inc.’s subsidiaries include Burrell Behavioral Health, Preferred Family Healthcare, Places for People, Southeast Missouri Behavioral Health, Adult & Child Health, Firefly Supported Living & Employment Services, Comprehensive Mental Health Services, and Clarity Healthcare. While these organizations operate independently and are governed by separate boards of directors, Brightli’s parent-company model allows them to collaborate, share resources and system supports, increase team member recruiting and retention efforts, increase access to specialized care, and meet the growing demand for behavioral and addiction recovery care. Learn more at livebrightli.org 

Media contact: Rance Burger, rance.burger@burrellcenter.com