Left to right: Stacey Pettigrew, Lt, Gov. Kathy Hochul, Kathy Button, Chris Rackl and Robert Mootry.
WEST SENECA — On December 14, a community coalition of Western New York unionized employees, elected officials, administrators, family and staff came together to present the governor’s office with a token of appreciation for keeping the Western New York Children’s Psychiatric Center at its current location.
The event was billed, The ‘Hands Together in Hope’ celebration.
The state Office of Mental Health had proposed closing the center and moving its young patients to the grounds of Buffalo Psychiatric Center which treats adults. Over the past five years, our CSEA members, other center employees, former patients, family members of patients and local stakeholders strongly urged state officials to stop the plan for a variety of legitimate reasons.
When it was officially announced in April of 2018 the facility will permanently remain open in West Seneca, the coalition who strongly opposed the center’s move exhaled a big sigh of relief. The fight was often contentious, but in the end the governor cited community input as reason for keeping the West Seneca campus in operation.
Dave Chudy, a retired Public Employee’s Federation member who was instrumental leading the coalition, presented NYS Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul with an acrylic statue of a buffalo thanking her and our governor for continued support. Chudy also explained the ‘hands together in hope’ theme resonates far and wide throughout the Office of Mental Health and the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities.
NYS Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul assists children with placing their painted handprints on a statue that sends positive messaging to all those who enter the doors at the facility.
After a few speeches, Hochul and others placed painted handprints on a buffalo statue that sits in the front foyer of the facility. Inside the building, an abundant number of colorful handprints adorn the hallways and bulletin boards with masterful words of hope and encouragement. The idea is to assist and inspire all who enter the center.
“Keeping the facility right here in West Seneca is clearly a big win for the people of Western New York,” said Western Region President Kathy Button. “Our members can continue to offer a high quality of mental health care to children and their families near their homes, which is a major benefit to assisting our local community residents who are struggling with mental illness.”
“After a long battle, we are thrilled services will remain at the West Seneca facility,” said CSEA Local 425 WNY DDSO President Stacey Pettigrew. She added, “I am very proud of all our co-workers and our community partners who didn’t give up the idea that it was best to keep services in West Seneca intact. This was a huge win for the families and workers of Western New York and our show of appreciation to the Governor and the Lt. Governor should not go unnoticed.”
-Story & Photos by Ove Overmyer
