Catholic Charities of Buffalo today announced the completion of major renovations of its behavioral health clinic located at 20 Rich St., Buffalo to expand counseling services offered to clients living and working in East Buffalo and those who rely on public transportation.
“This renovation of our Rich Street clinic has not only expanded the physical space needed with a more welcoming and accessible facility, but also has enabled us to expand our hours of operation and to offer additional behavioral health services to better meet the needs of both individuals and families in the surrounding community,” said Tony DeSimone, president and CEO of Catholic Charities. “It has also allowed us to create a campus-like setting for our clients in East Buffalo as Catholic Charities offers additional support services targeted to one’s health and wellbeing such as a food pantry, WIC, and multisystemic therapy within a building adjacent to the Rich Street clinic at 930 Genesee St.”
The 9,200 square foot property, a former convent that Catholic Charities has owned since 2009, underwent nearly three years of renovations, which included reconfiguration of the space for clinician offices, the installation of an elevator, gutter and roof repair to address water leaks, installation of lighting and a new ceiling on the third floor to enable use of the space, and new HVAC systems. The $1 million project was made possible by funding through New York State Department of Health’s Statewide Health Care Transformation Program III.
The Rich Street clinic offers many treatment modalities to help achieve and strengthen mental health in a wide range of individuals, from young children (age 3+), adults, parents, couples, and families. Current services include individual and group counseling, psychotherapy, medication management, crisis intervention, peer support, cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, grief counseling, and trauma therapy. Several clinicians are also trained in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, an evidence-based approach for young children with disruptive behaviors, as well as in Domestic Relationship Enhancement, a program that works for social, gender, and racial justice using evidence-based accountability groups and a clinical approach to healing and empowerment. The Rich Street clinic employs 20 providers and staff.
Renovations also allowed for the strategic consolidation of Catholic Charities’ offices at 76 West Humboldt Parkway into the Rich Street location. Catholic Charities is in the process of selling the West Humboldt Parkway property that had also housed behavioral health services. Clients will now receive services at the newly renovated space on Rich Street.
“Although this project required significant time to complete, our Rich Street facility now represents much more than just a large renovation, it represents hope, healing, and access to care for people in this amazing community who have very often gone without the support they or their family truly need,” said Justin Fax, practice director, Catholic Charities Behavioral Health.
In addition to its Rich Street clinic, Catholic Charities offers outpatient mental health clinics in Niagara Falls, Lockport, and Cheektowaga, which provide counseling services to those who present with mental health symptoms and are appropriate for outpatient care.
