Advocates are once again blasting Albany over its plan to close the Western New York Children's Psychiatric Center. More than a dozen people rallied outside an abandoned home on the campus in West Seneca on Friday. State Assemblyman Michael Kearns says rundown campus buildings are hurting neighboring home values.
David Chudy, a former employee, who represents patients and parents says, closing the facility makes no sense.
"And nobody thinks this is a good idea, other than, evidently, Governor Cuomo and the Office of Mental Health. Why would you close your best facility? Why aren't you down here? - saying to the whole country - 'this is where it works best.' Why are they doing this? And they're telling us with straight faces, 'it's not about the money. We're going to enhance services for kids."
Albany is pushing to move the children to the Buffalo Psychiatric Center. Chudy says it provides long-term housing for some adult pedophiles and sex offenders. And he questions how the multi-million-dollar move will help children.