Western New York Children's Psychiatric Center

Last updated

Western New York Children's Psychiatric Center
New York State Office of Mental Health
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State seal of New York
Western New York Children's Psychiatric Center
Geography
Location1010 East and West Road, West Seneca, New York, United States
Coordinates 42°49′13″N78°44′03″W / 42.82031°N 78.73414°W / 42.82031; -78.73414
Organization
Care system Public
Type Psychiatric hospital
Services
Beds46 [1]
History
Opened1970 [2]
Links
Lists Hospitals in New York State

Western New York Children's Psychiatric Center (WNYCPC) is a state-operated psychiatric hospital for children and adolescents in West Seneca, Erie County, New York. Operated by the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH), the facility provides inpatient psychiatric treatment and community-based services for youth ages 4–18 in Western New York. [3]

Contents

History

The facility was built in 1970 to treat children with severe psychiatric problems. [2] [3]

Proposed relocation and litigation (2016–2018)

In 2016–2017, OMH proposed relocating WNYCPC's inpatient services to the campus of Buffalo Psychiatric Center, drawing opposition from local elected officials, clinicians, families, and advocates. [4]

In July 2017, a citizens' coalition filed a lawsuit seeking to block the planned closure or relocation of the West Seneca facility. [5] [6] [7] In November 2017, Governor Andrew Cuomo vetoed legislation that would require WNYCPC to remain open in West Seneca. [8] In April 2018, Cuomo announced that WNYCPC would remain in West Seneca. [9] [10]

Renovation and expansion

In 2022, OMH broke ground on a $55 million renovation and expansion project that would add 50,000 square feet of residential and clinical support space and improve existing educational, administrative, and therapeutic areas, while preserving the facility's 46-bed capacity. [11] [12]

The Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) later described the expansion project as becoming a $66.5 million renovation and addition project; DASNY's 2024 annual report stated that the project was advancing but had been delayed. [13] [14]

A 1990 report by the New York State Commission on Quality of Care for the Mentally Disabled investigated allegations of child abuse and neglect at WNYCPC. In 2021, Child Victims Act lawsuits alleging abuse at the facility in the 1980s and referenced prior state inquiries into the facility. [15]

Services

WNYCPC provides inpatient psychiatric treatment and a range of outpatient and community-based programs, including day treatment, an outpatient clinic, care management, and mobile teams. [3] The center delivers educational services under New York State Education Department regulations. [3]

Day treatment

The WNYCPC day treatment program provides community-based mental health services integrated with a school setting through a partnership between Erie 1 BOCES and OMH. [16]

Education and training

WNYCPC hosts training programs, including a doctoral psychology internship and clinical training rotations for medical trainees. [3]

Psychology doctoral internship

OMH describes WNYCPC's Psychology Doctoral Internship Training Program as an Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC) member program that provides training in both inpatient and day-treatment settings. [17] The internship participates in the National Matching Services (APPIC Match). [18]

Medical education rotations

WNYCPC is listed as a participating institution for the University at Buffalo Child and Adolescent Psychiatry program in the American Medical Association's FREIDA directory. [19] The University at Buffalo's fellowship curriculum materials describe rotations at WNYCPC, including intermediate length-of-stay inpatient services and day treatment experiences. [20] [21]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Western New York Children's Psychiatric Center". FREIDA (American Medical Association). Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  2. 1 2 Young, Andy (May 9, 2019). "Supports of Childrens Psychiatric Center Applaud Surprising Renovation Plans". Spectrum News. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Western New York Children's Psychiatric Center". New York State Office of Mental Health. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  4. ↑ Blazonis, Sarah (April 11, 2017). "Western NY Children's Psych Center Left Out Of Budget". NY1. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  5. ↑ Mroziak, Michael (July 13, 2017). "Citizens' group files lawsuit to keep WNY Children's Psychiatric Center open". Buffalo Toronto Public Media. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  6. ↑ "Cuomo restrained from vetoing Children's Psychiatric Center bill". Spectrum News. July 17, 2017. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  7. ↑ Moore, Justin (July 27, 2017). "Judge denied motion to dismiss psychiatric center lawsuit". WKBW-TV. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  8. ↑ "Gov. Cuomo vetoes bill to save Children's Psychiatric Center". Buffalo Toronto Public Media. November 30, 2017. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  9. ↑ "Cuomo confirms: Children's Psych Center stays in West Seneca". WKBW-TV. April 4, 2018. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  10. ↑ "Governor changes mind, will keep WNY Children's Psych Center open in W. Seneca". Buffalo Toronto Public Media. April 3, 2018. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  11. ↑ "NYS Office of Mental Health breaks ground on major renovations and expansion at Western NY Children's Psychiatric Center". NYS News (New York State Office of Mental Health). August 2, 2022. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  12. ↑ Buckley, Eileen (August 9, 2022). "Major renovations & expansion to begin at children's psych center". WKBW-TV. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  13. ↑ DASNY 2023 Annual Report (PDF) (Report). Dormitory Authority of the State of New York. 2023. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  14. ↑ DASNY Annual Report (PDF) (Report). Dormitory Authority of the State of New York. 2024. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  15. ↑ "Lawsuits target 1980s abuse at WNY Child Psychiatric Center in West Seneca". WKBW-TV. March 11, 2021. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  16. ↑ "WNYCPC Day Treatment". Erie 1 BOCES. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  17. ↑ "NYS OMH Western NY Children's PC Psychology Doctoral Internship Training Manual 2025–2026" (PDF). New York State Office of Mental Health. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  18. ↑ "Participating Internships - APPIC Match". National Matching Services. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  19. ↑ "University at Buffalo Program". FREIDA (American Medical Association). Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  20. ↑ "Intermediate Length of Stay Inpatient Services". Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  21. ↑ "Day Treatment". Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
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