BUFFALO, NY (January 11, 2017) – The Boards of Directors of Child & Adolescent Treatment Services and Lake Shore Behavioral Health announced today that their merged organization will be called BestSelf Behavioral Health, serving individuals, families and the community. Employing more than 540 people, the new organization will be one of the largest community based behavioral health organizations in Western New York, offering family-focused, quality mental health and substance abuse services for children and adults. The target date for finalizing the merger is April 1, 2017, pending approvals by all necessary regulatory and legal authorities.
“This merger is not about being bigger. It’s about being better. It’s about taking the necessary steps to create the most comprehensive mental health and substance abuse resource in the region,” stated Ellen Bieler, Board Chair of BestSelf Behavioral Health. “It’s about providing our community with the best programs and the best services in the best way we possibly can.”
For more than three years, the board of directors and organizational leadership of the two organizations have been working hard to explore all of the possibilities and taking the necessary steps to form a new organization whose mission is to provide continuity of care to individuals across the age spectrum and their families, driving better outcomes in the short and long term.
“It has been a long journey however in 2017 we will finally see our efforts come to fruition—as we become one, unified organization that can serve more people, more ways, in more places than ever before,” stated Howard Hitzel, Psy.D., President/CEO of BestSelf Behavioral Health.
“As both organizations finalize the process of officially coming together, we are committed to working hard to create an innovative organization that will serve individuals and families each day and continue to work toward reducing the stigma of mental illness and substance abuse disorders.”
The United Way of Buffalo & Erie County provided financial support when the affiliation between the two organizations became formal three years ago. In addition to that continued support, the local foundation community is working together to provide significant financial support for the merger. To date, $650,000 has been raised from the John R. Oishei Foundation, Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation, Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, Garman Family Foundation and other supporters.
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About BestSelf Behavioral Health
Child and Adolescent Treatment Services and Lake Shore Behavioral Health have served this community for a combined 120 years and are proud to be leaders in innovative delivery of behavioral health services in Western New York. Both organizations share a reputation for providing quality care in the community is one of our most valued assets. The Boards of Directors of Child and Adolescent Treatment Services and Lake Shore Behavioral Health recently announced their plans to formally merge and form a new organization. The name of the new organization is BestSelf Behavioral Health. The target date for finalizing the merger is April 1, 2017. BestSelf Behavioral Health will be one of the largest community based behavioral health providers in Western New York serving individuals, families and the community. At the heart of the organization is a shared mission to serve the most vulnerable members of our co
mmunity with the same end goal in mind: We all want to be the best parent, the best friend, the best worker, the best student—the best version of ourselves that we can possibly be. BestSelf Behavioral Health will provide its clients with the innovative and evidence-based services they need, along with a personal and caring approach that will help them feel respected, valued, confident and hopeful.