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Closing Children's Psych Center would be wrong

Livingston County News - 12/22/2016

Dear Editor,

Recently, we were notified of an Albany decision to accept requests for proposals to close the WNY Children's Psychiatric Center in West Seneca and relocate the children to the Buffalo Psychiatric Center. It is wrong for Governor Cuomo and the Office of Mental Health to try to impose this decision on our most vulnerable citizens. We have heard the anguish of many of these families and in conjunction with the WNY Delegation we have fought this effort over the last three budget cycles.

The Buffalo Psychiatric Center stopped treating children more than 40 years ago when doctors determined that adolescents have specific and special needs when it comes to mental health treatment. That is why the WNY Children's Psychiatric Center was built. These needs have not changed and there is no clinical reason for the facility to close. This is simply an effort to save money by consolidating services.

The WNYCPC serves 19 different counties across NY and is a model for the treatment of children. On virtually every metric it exceeds other similar institutions in NY and has the lowest 30 and 90 day readmission rates. This is important from a long term cost perspective because readmissions for mental health care over the course of a lifetime can result in many thousands of dollars for the treatment of a single person. Quality care and early intervention with respect to mental illness is now seen as essential to helping people successfully cope with their disease.

The WNYCPC provides a holistic approach toward resident care. The family's privacy is respected with plenty of room to meet without having sensitive information shared with others at the facility or in the broader community. The tranquil surrounding provide a much needed pause for both the children who are undergoing significant mental trauma and the families desperately trying to protect them from hurt, harm and danger. The facility comprehensively treats the child through activities, environment, family involvement, education, and proper levels of medication. Several of the young adults who were former residents have repeatedly explained that there was freedom to grow and experience group activities which helped them to be children and not outsiders.

Please contact Governor Cuomo and the Office of Mental Health to let them know that this is not in the best interests of our most vulnerable children.

Sincerely,

Patrick M. Gallivan

State Senate 59th District

Michael P. Kearns

State Assembly 142nd District

Editor's Note: Livingston County among the 19 counties served by the Western New York Children's Psychiatric Center.