BUFFALO, N.Y. — May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and Western New York is home to a unique facility.
OLV Human Services' intensive treatment program is a residential and educational program for youth who are dual diagnosed. They have to have a mental health diagnosis and have autism.
This treatment program is the first of its kind in New York State and has helped dozens of long-term care patients since opening in 2017.
"The kids here, they receive counseling services, behavior support services, they work on their activities of daily living skills, we work on decreasing unsafe behaviors and increasing independence," said Melody Smith, director of the intensive treatment program.
"So here within the residential treatment facility, it's more of a home-like setting where we're working on those activities of daily living skills."
There is a growing demand for services like this. OLV says it does have a waiting list, and it is encouraging lawmakers to take notice of the need for a service like that and make funds available to increase service capacity in Western New York and across the state.
RELATED VIDEO: