The Buffalo Psychiatric Center will house a new dual diagnosis inpatient unit for children and youth with mental health and developmental disabilities.

The announcement Monday helped shed a little light on the uncertain future of the facility.

The state had previously indicated it would move patients at the Western New York Children's Psychiatric Center in West Seneca to the Buffalo facility, near Buffalo State, but advocates for the CPC fought to keep younger patients separate and in their own facility.

In April, Governor Cuomo reversed his decision and agreed to maintain the two facilities, leading many to wonder what would happen at the adult facility, which had already started making renovations to house a larger population.

The new portion of the Buffalo Psychiatric Center will specifically serve adolescent patents between the ages of 12 and 17 and is designed to ease the transition from those who are discharged from hospitals as they prepare to go home.

New York State Senator Pat Gallivan thanked the Office of Mental Health for providing a new service for young adults and their families in Western New York. 

"Patients and families facing such a difficult diagnosis will soon have a treatment facility closer to home," he said. "I have been advised these services are clearly different and distinct from the treatment provided at the WNYCPC, which all experts agree is the most therapeutic environment to treat the most emotionally traumatized children. I have been further advised by the OMH that this new facility will have no impact on services provided by the WNYCPC."