Crisis Services is settling in to its new home this week. After 30 years on Main St., near Hertel Ave., Buffalo and Erie County's only 24 hour crisis center outgrew its former space.
Crisis Services has doubled its footprint by moving to 100 River Rock Drive, off Hertel near Tonawanda Street, in Buffalo. Chief Executive Officer, Jessica Pirro says, in recent years the agency has seen significant growth.
"In addition to our hotline services, which a lot of people know us for, those services can then extend into our different departments which are our crisis first responders, who are doing actual physical response in the community, from emergency mental health response services for individuals who are suicidal or have a mental illness. As well as our advocate department which is the rape crisis center for the county. We also do domestic violence and elder abuse services," Pirro said.
They also staff Erie County's addiction hotline. Since 2014, Crisis Services' staff has grown 20% to over 90 employees plus 30 volunteers. Pirro says, their new state-of-the-art center includes space for community education and training programs.
"It's something that we've really had on our to-do list for a while but just the space was not something we had at the time. So, we're excited about being able to expand those training opportunities and education opportunities right here at our location," Pirro said.
The new facility, she says, will also help revitalize company culture by having larger more efficient work space and a wellness room where staff can rest and another with fitness equipment.
"Just some stuff that they can go in and maybe relieve a little stress during their work-shift or during their break. And just be able to have them be able to step away from their desk and their office space to kind of unwind and debrief after some of the stuff that they're viewing and the stories that they're hearing everyday," Pirro said.
The move, she says, also gives Crisis Services room for future growth. All of the agency's hotline numbers remain the same.
