BestSelf Behavioral Health awarded $250,000 from Patrick P. Lee Foundation

Gift will support new BestResponse Intensive Crisis Center, a ‘one-of-a-kind’ facility in WNY 

BestSelf Behavioral Health Press Release

BestSelf Behavioral Health (BBH) announced it received a $250,000 grant from the Patrick P. Lee Foundation to fund supplemental improvement projects at the BestResponse Intensive Crisis Center. These enhancements will improve the experience for both visitors and first responders, and include upgrades to access control and security systems. 

Opening this fall at 430 Niagara St., Buffalo, the new, 24/7 facility is designed to support individuals of all ages experiencing mental health or substance use crises. BestResponse will offer a calm, supportive place where people can stay for up to 23 hours and 59 minutes, receiving immediate help from trained professionals through counseling, medication support, and connections to follow-up care in a welcoming, trauma-informed setting. 

"We are deeply grateful to the Patrick P. Lee Foundation for their generous support of the BestResponse Intensive Crisis Center," said Elizabeth Woike, CEO of BestSelf Behavioral Health. "This investment will strengthen our ability to provide timely, compassionate care to individuals experiencing a mental health crisis, while also supporting the first responders who rely on the center. It ensures that those in need receive the right support at the right time." 

BestResponse is one of only a handful of intensive crisis stabilization centers being developed across New York. It was awarded to BestSelf through a highly competitive request-for-proposal process. The selection reflects both the high level of need in Western New York and BestSelf's reputation for delivering innovative, community-based behavioral health services. BestResponse offers a faster, more compassionate alternative to emergency rooms as a hospital diversion program, helping stabilize people in crisis and connect them to the proper care while avoiding unnecessary hospitalizations. 

“BestResponse addresses a critical gap in our region's continuum of care by offering individuals in behavioral health crisis an alternative to hospital emergency departments," said Jane Mogavero, executive director of the Patrick P. Lee Foundation. "Through the Crisis to Care Collaborative, the Lee Foundation is proud to partner with BestSelf and other community stakeholders to develop a behavioral health crisis response system that prioritizes recovery. The launch of BestResponse is a meaningful step forward in achieving that vision." 

BestSelf is collaborating with ECMC, Crisis Services, emergency responders and community partners through the Crisis to Care Collaborative – an initiative led by the Patrick P. Lee Foundation with support from the Tower Foundation – to create a coordinated system that quickly connects people to the proper care while easing the burden on hospitals and emergency rooms.

More about BestSelf Behavioral Health: BestSelf Behavioral Health is the largest community-based behavioral health provider in Western New York, offering a full continuum of care for children, adolescents and adults. With over 1,000 employees across more than 70 locations, BestSelf provides accessible, innovative and compassionate mental health and substance use services that support individuals and families in living their best lives. For more information, visit www.bestselfwny.org.

More about Patrick P. Lee Foundation: The Patrick P. Lee Foundation is a private foundation committed to achieving immediate and measurable impact in the areas of education and adult mental health. In education, we envision a community where individuals achieve economic self-sufficiency without experiencing undue financial burden. Our vision for people living with mental illnesses is that they are engaged and supported by members of the community.