By Michelle Ruschman
On Tuesday, August 26th, 2025, Crossroads Center celebrated breaking ground for its new Spiritual Health and Wellness building. Cindy Bray summarizes what defines their growth.
“I may be the Executive Director, but really, Crossroads directs me.”
Since 2007, Crossroads Center has served our community faithfully, not only through the mission to provide spiritual, medical, and dental care through God’s love, but in the unwavering dedication of its Board of Directors, administration, medical providers, counselors and volunteers. Cindy recalls how Crossroads got started.
“In 2005, a mobile dental ministry visited the area, organized by Dr. Herschel Adams, a pastor who has since passed. At that time, he knew he had availability for approximately 70 appointments. On the day he arrived, however, close to 200 people were there, hoping for help. Knowing he didn’t have enough appointments, he had to tell over a hundred people that they would not receive care that day, and it broke his heart.”
Dr. Adams, acknowledging the need and determined not to ignore the call, spent the next two years partnering with medical and law professionals, business entities, churches and individuals who wanted to serve their communities.
Since Crossroads opened in 2007, they have served Okaloosa and Walton counties in a way that acknowledges all the different aspects of what it takes to truly feel well – having your medical, emotional, and spiritual needs met with compassionate care.
Three branches make up Crossroads’ primary services, free of charge to qualifying patients: medical, dental, and counseling. First, the medical team addresses primary and preventative care with a focus on the management of chronic disease and medication assistance. Select specialists are also available onsite and through referrals. Next, area dentists donate their time to administer initial and comprehensive exams, cleanings, and panoramic x-rays, as well as fillings and extractions. Finally, counselors and life coaches provide Christian counseling while offering spiritual, emotional, and mental health resources. While all these are available, the patient gets to decide what they need.
It is this last branch that will be most impacted by the new building and the rooms that it will provide.
“Crossroads Center is our name because we don’t just care for physical needs. In 2022, we started our counseling services. We knew that for our patients to truly move toward healing, mental health and counseling had to be addressed. Sometimes people just need some encouragement. We currently have a licensed clinical social worker who helps our patients connect to resources, and we also have a patient liaison who is a life coach. She is a big encourager and recently helped five people gain employment. That really is our goal – keep people working and participating in their lives.”
The new expansion will offer rooms with more privacy and soundproofing for counseling sessions as well as spaces to meet and conduct classes for diabetes education, nutrition, and possibly cooking classes.
“We want to equip people to make better choices and know what to do with what they learn.”
Crossroads’ efforts not only serve the individual, but Okaloosa and Walton counties as a whole:
- With a more robust and active population, working citizens benefit the economy.
- Ongoing care provided for their patients lessens traffic in emergency rooms.
- When patients without insurance are unable to pay the high cost of medical care, places like Crossroads help keep local healthcare costs down for everyone.
Non-profit organizations like Crossroads Center are invaluable for a flourishing community and mental health is a key component. With the Spiritual Health and Wellness building projected to open by June 2026, the center will continue to be a beacon of hope for years to come.
You can support Crossroads Center’s mission through a direct donation or by volunteering, especially as a medical, dental, or mental health professional. To learn more about their current needs, or to see if you qualify to be a new patient, go to www.crossroadscenter.org.
