Merrifield Center renamed for Sharon Bulova
Members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, other leaders, and former Board Chair Sharon Bulova gathered at a ceremony May 12 for the renaming of the Merrifield Center the Sharon Bulova Center for Community Health.
The center, at 8221 Willow Oaks Corporate Drive in Merrifield, houses the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board. It provides 24/7 emergency services for people in crisis, psychiatric services, medication-assisted substance use disorder treatment, support for individuals with developmental disabilities, a peer resource center, and a pharmacy.
It is entirely fitting that this center, which is at the heart of Fairfax County’s Diversion First initiative, is named for Sharon Bulova, said Board Chair Jeffrey McKay.
“Under her chairmanship, we transformed our approach to mental health incidents, moving from a law enforcement model to one of care, treatment, and rehabilitation. There are literally thousands of Fairfax County residents whose lives have been changed thanks to Diversion First,” McKay said.
Diversion First offers alternatives to incarceration for people with mental illness, substance use disorders, and developmental disabilities who come into contact with the criminal justice system for low-level offenses.
Since the county launched Diversion First in 2016, police have transported more than 12,000 people in crisis to the Merrifield Center. More than 2,600 people have been diverted from potential arrest.
Bulova served as chair of the Board of Supervisors from 2010 to 2020. She was the Braddock District supervisor from 1988 to 2009.
I have been walking by the covered sign for many many months wondering why the perpetual covers. Good to see the covers finally revealing the new name
A looney bin named after Sharon is appropriate.
Sharon was a great board chair. She was good at taking in community input and working to achieve middle grounds when possible. She represents the wing of the democratic party that I really appreciate – she is pragmatic and pro-business, and worked to advance several key social causes, but was willing to stand up to the more leftist sides that would put taxes even more through the stratosphere than they already are.
Glad she’s getting things named after her and cementing her legacy in fairfax county.