The Golisano Behavioral Health and Wellness Building, the first of its kind in our region, has officially opened on South Avenue in Rochester. It's dedicated to serving pediatric patients with mental health disorders.

Lauren Opladen, 19, helped cut the ribbon marking the official opening of the building. The Greece teenager suffered from depression and got help.

"There's going to be hard times, even now I still struggle, I have hard days but it's more about using your resources, reaching out," she said.

The large facility will focus on helping patients suffering from depression, substance abuse, anxiety, and other emotional conditions.

"Our children and adolescents will not have to go it alone any longer, and they won't have to wait as long as they had to wait and families know that when they call, they will be seen," said Ann Costello of the Golisano Foundation.

"You have to be able to reach out and touch your child and be thankful that they're here with and you want their life to be good," said Lauren's mother, Janice. "So acknowledge, seek, and receive the help that's out there."

Mental health issues impact about one in five children and adolescents. Of those, only 20 percent see a mental health provider.

"It's been building for some time and has only been made worse with recent events that we're all living through including the [coronavirus] pandemic," said Dr. Michael Scharf, URMC chief of Pediatric Psychiatry.

Opladen will be a sophomore this fall and is enrolled in the nursing program at SUNY Brockport.

"I definitely went into nursing in the hopes of helping people after receiving the help that I got at Golisano Hospital," said Opladen.