Board of Supervisors renames Merrifield Center for Sharon Bulova

The Merrifield Center.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors agree to rename the Merrifield Center for former board chair Sharon Bulova.

The Merrifield Center, at 8221 Willow Oaks Corporate Drive in Merrifield, is operated at the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board. It opened in January 2015.

“For more than three decades, Sharon Bulova dedicated her life to making Fairfax County a better place for everyone, first as Annandale and Braddock supervisor, then as chairman of the board,” said the board’s new chair, Jeff McKay, at the board’s Jan. 28 meeting.

“She led our community forward on a national, state, and local level by implementing a number of world-class programs, such as Diversion First,” McKay said. “If it weren’t for Sharon’s passion and persistence, we would not have the Merrifield Crisis and Response Center, which houses the highly successful Diversion First program.”

Related story: New county building brings health services to Merrifield area

The Merrifield Crisis Response Center provides immediate help 24/7 for people experiencing a mental health or substance abuse emergency. Under Diversion First, people in crisis who commit low-level offenses are given assistance rather being subject to the criminal justice system.

The Merrifield center also provides outpatient services, substance abuse treatment, peer counseling, and related services.

The board will host an event this spring to officially recognize the building’s new name.