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Addiction and mental health service expands its facility

Thomas O'Neil-White

Horizon Health Services celebrated the expansion of its Recovery Center on Pine Avenue in Niagara Falls in a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday.

More than 6,000 square feet have been added, doubling the facility's original size. Horizon President and CEO Anne Constantino called it a very special project.

“This is an important facility for us. Niagara County has been particularly hard hit, not only by serious addiction, opioids and other drugs, but also by mental illness,” Constantino said.

Constantino said the crisis of suicide is talked about less often than addiction deaths. She said she believes if those struggling through mental health and addiction issues can get proper care, they can turn their lives around.

State Assemblyman Angelo Morinello has had extensive contact with Horizon dating back to his days as a Niagara Falls City Court judge. He said the staff members at Horizon deserve credit for the work they do.

“Those that deal with those who are vulnerable, they are the ones that need to be encouraged to go forward to change their lives, and that is what Horizon does,” Morinello said.

Credit Thomas O'Neil-White
Horizon President and CEO Anne Constantino

With three facilities in Niagara County, including an inpatient center in Sanborn, Marinello said it was Horizon’s idea to create a corridor in area for people in need.

He said the Pine Avenue facility is a welcoming place where those seeking help will “feel the embrace of change” in their lives.

Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Thomas moved to Western New York at the age of 14. A graduate of Buffalo State College, he majored in Communications Studies and was part of the sports staff for WBNY. When not following his beloved University of Kentucky Wildcats and Boston Red Sox, Thomas enjoys coaching youth basketball, reading Tolkien novels and seeing live music.
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