New Mental Health Center Opens in Front Royal with Message of Healing, Hope, and Second Chances

With the snip of ceremonial scissors and the cheers of a supportive crowd, Clear Horizons Forensic and Counseling Group officially opened its doors in Front Royal—offering new hope for residents navigating mental health challenges, substance use recovery, and re-entry from the justice system. The grand opening, held at the newly renovated facility, brought together local leaders, nonprofit organizations, and residents for a heartfelt celebration that emphasized healing, community, and second chances.

Emcee Cheya Thousand opens the Clear Horizons ceremony with a heartfelt welcome, reminding guests of the vital role mental health care plays in community well-being.

The event opened with warm words from emcee Cheya Thousand, who welcomed guests and nonprofit partners with a reminder of why Clear Horizons matters.

“We know that this is something that the community really needed,” Thousand said. “Mental health relates to our overall well-being, and it is crucial that we have support for our mind, our body, and our spirit.”

A Community Built on Support

The new center is more than a clinic. Clear Horizons was designed as a hub—a place where people can access therapy, case management, medication support, and mentorship all in one welcoming space. For individuals facing trauma or complex needs, it offers a streamlined path to care, cutting through confusion and delays.

Throughout the afternoon, speakers highlighted just how deeply this facility matters to Front Royal.

Leaders Step Up

Front Royal Mayor Lori Cockrell, a lifelong resident and educator, reflected on how mental health struggles often stem from circumstances beyond a person’s control.

“There’s a lot of brokenness in this world,” she said. “That generally doesn’t come from a place that they asked for or intended to be. That is usually life and circumstances and addictions and family dynamics and environments.”

Front Royal Mayor Lori Cockrell shares heartfelt remarks at the Clear Horizons opening, emphasizing the impact of compassion and community in helping people overcome life’s challenges.

Cockrell thanked Clear Horizons for stepping in with compassion and purpose. “Anytime you can have an organization… to help people to fix their brokenness and improve their lives—it matters,” she said. “This is going to be a wonderful partnership with our community.”

Vice Mayor Amber Veitenthal brought a personal message rooted in her own experience.

“I’m somebody sitting here as a vice mayor today who was a lost and broken child in this community at one point,” she said. “And I’m here to tell the children that your circumstances do not define you. And for the adults here, you can always rewrite your story.”

A mother of six, Veitenthal said she connected immediately with founder Dr. Matthew Rosario over the shared challenge of raising teenagers and supporting youth. She praised the team’s passion and the visible care that went into restoring the building. “The garden is gorgeous,” she added. “They’ve been putting in work—and it shows.”

Councilmember Glenn Wood also welcomed the center as a vital new partner in community healing. “We have a lot of challenges in our community,” he said. “With Clear Horizons, we now have another ally to help our community heal, help some people with their brokenness.”

He pointed to the facility itself as proof of commitment. “The transformation that’s taken place in here is nothing short of remarkable.”

Warren County Board of Supervisors member Cheryl Cullers admitted she didn’t know much about Clear Horizons before the event—but what she saw impressed her.

“This community means the world to me,” she said. “And I think it means the world to everybody out here. To have this group come in and decide to help—I’m very grateful for this work.”

She called for continued collaboration, saying, “It takes a village. We just need to be supportive of each other and build a community where we all want to be.”

Warren County Sheriff Crystal Cline brought lived experience to the stage. Raised in government housing and once on the wrong side of the law herself, she knows how a child’s environment can shape their future.

Warren County Sheriff Crystal Cline shares her personal journey and stresses the importance of partnerships like Clear Horizons in supporting law enforcement’s response to mental health crises.

“I had a lot of free time and not a lot of parental control,” she said. “I see the same names over and over—now it’s the kids and grandkids.” She emphasized how crucial community-based partners like Clear Horizons are to law enforcement. “We are not mental health experts, but we’re expected to be,” she said. “This partnership means we don’t have to go it alone.”

Councilmember Melissa DeDomenico-Payne also shared her family’s story, noting her father’s schizophrenia and the stigma that often keeps people from seeking help.

“What really makes a difference is the resilience in life, no matter what life throws at you,” she said. “People need a place that offers connection and dignity. That’s what this place provides.”

She closed with a call to action: “The most important thing to me is that people reach their full potential. We are here for a purpose. And I want to make sure that everybody has the resources they need to get to where they need to be.”

More Than a Clinic—A Mission

The keynote speech from Dr. Matthew Rosario, founder and CEO of Clear Horizons, delivered a powerful message of resilience, reflection, and responsibility.

“Today is a celebration not just of a new building but of new beginnings and second chances,” he told the crowd.

Rosario said the center is designed to shift how people access and experience care. “Coming here for an hour is not enough,” he said. “We’re changing the way people think about mental health care.”

Clients may attend three to five days a week for multiple hours each day, receiving consistent, hands-on support. The model centers on three values: restoration, resilience, and reintegration.

“We do not see broken people,” Rosario said. “We see stories. We see resilience. We see the flicker of light that remains in every soul, and we have the privilege to help nurture that light back into a flame.”

With a hand over his heart, Dr. Matthew Rosario closes the ceremony with a heartfelt message of hope, resilience, and commitment to the community Clear Horizons now calls home.

A signature feature of the facility is the Garden of Grace, a therapeutic outdoor space named in honor of three women who shaped Rosario’s life: Carmen, Casilda, and Jacqueline. “Here, our clients will plant, tend, and harvest not just vegetables and herbs—but hope, confidence, and renewal,” he said. “Like seeds, people flourish when given care, patience, and a chance to grow.”

Rosario ended with gratitude for his team, who prepared the building through rain and long nights. “This is not a sprint,” he said. “This is a marathon.”

Lifting the Ribbon

The grand opening culminated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony near the Garden of Grace. Before the official moment, Rosario honored one individual who played a key role in bringing the space to life: Charles Baltimore.

Dr. Matthew Rosario, Mayor Lori Cockrell, and Charles Baltimore prepare for the ribbon cutting at Clear Horizons’ grand opening. Baltimore, who led the building’s transformation and involved local youth in the work, was honored for his contributions with the Service Excellence Award.

“We would not be here without Charles Baltimore,” Rosario said. “This was not just a Clear Horizons effort—this was a community approach.”

Baltimore led the renovation work and involved local youth in every step, teaching them to pour concrete, install fixtures, and plant flowers. “The therapy he provided by teaching trades—that is therapy,” Rosario said.

Baltimore was awarded the Clear Horizons Service Excellence Award and invited to cut the ribbon with Mayor Cockrell.

“We’re so excited you’re here,” Cockrell said. “I look forward to a long relationship with you.”

With a countdown—“three, two, one”—the ribbon fell, opening the doors to a facility built not just with materials but with compassion, determination, and teamwork.

Next Steps

After the ceremony, guests were invited inside to tour the bright, welcoming space. Every detail echoed the values that had filled the speeches outside: care, accessibility, and connection.

Dr. Matthew Rosario stands in the Garden of Grace, a therapeutic space at Clear Horizons named in honor of three women who shaped his life. “Like seeds, people flourish when given care, patience, and a chance to grow,” Rosario said.

In a closing interview, Rosario shared what’s next. “The disparities were clear—there are no comprehensive treatment facilities here,” he said. “We decided to be that difference and make that change.”

The center is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and offers walk-in support, therapy, case management, and medical care. More information is available at www.chfcounselinggroups.com.

“We’re not judging you when you come here,” Rosario said. “We’re here with open arms. We see you. We’re supporting you. And we are here to stay.”

With Clear Horizons now open, Front Royal takes a major step forward in making mental health care more available, more responsive, and more connected to the community it serves.