Psychiatric care for children and teens overwhelmed in CNY

By Chris Ulanowski

Syracuse, NY – Central New York has faced a shortage of in-patient psychiatric treatment for children and teens since the closing a private facility last year. Families now have to first turn to the Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program at Saint Joseph's Hosptial Health Center in Syracuse, which can handle just over a dozen patients. The overcrowding situation became so severe this summer that cots had to be purchased from a retailer as a temporary fix. Mary Bishop is the Executive Director of "CREP." Speaking with WRVO's Chris Ulanowski, she fell short of saying the program is at a crisis point.

( The State Office of Mental Health says it has been looking at ways to alleviate the problem.)