For more than five decades, Crisis Services has served as Erie County’s only 24-hour crisis center and community resource, providing a vital lifeline for individuals in times of acute need.
That mission feels especially significant in May, which is Mental Health Awareness Month and a time when national attention turns to an issue that affects millions each year. Since 1968, the organization has pioneered its mental health hotline, which operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year—recognizing that when it comes to a crisis, need rarely follows a set schedule.
Trained counselors offer free, confidential support through both the main hotline and specialized Crisis Counseling Program lines that address a wide range of needs, including suicide prevention, domestic and sexual violence, elder abuse and trauma.
With mobile outreach services providing in-person evaluations for individuals at risk of harming themselves or others—an area that has seen a significant increase in demand—Crisis Services continues to adapt to the growing complexity of mental health needs.
“The intention of the mobile team is to be a hospital diversion program, meeting people in their community, helping re-establish safety and connecting them with services for ongoing support,” says Crisis Services President and CEO Jessica Pirro.
Beyond immediate response, the organization plays a broader role in strengthening the mental health system. Reducing stigma remains central to that work.
“We're evaluating the gaps in the system, advocating and working with stakeholders and partners to look at improvements,” Pirro says. “We’re also encouraging people to reach out for help and hoping to get more folks in sooner before they're reaching that heightened crisis.”
For organizations like the Buffalo-based Patrick P. Lee Foundation, strengthening the region’s behavioral health crisis response system is both a public health priority and a long-term community investment.
Through the Crisis to Care (CTC) Collaborative, the Lee Foundation is working alongside Crisis Services, law enforcement agencies, 911 leaders and other community stakeholders to transform how behavioral health emergencies are addressed in Erie County. The data-driven, cross-sector initiative is the first of its kind in New York State.
“As we assessed the current system and listened to community members, the CTC committed to ensuring a behavioral health crisis receives a behavioral health response,” says Lee Foundation Executive Director Jane Mogavero. “That requires building a system with the right services, partnerships and capacity to respond effectively in real time.”
A central part of that work is expanding mobile crisis response services led by Crisis Services. Mobile response teams provide on-site intervention, de-escalation and stabilization for individuals experiencing behavioral health emergencies, often helping connect people to care while reducing unnecessary emergency room visits or law enforcement involvement.
To strengthen that capacity, the Lee Foundation awarded Crisis Services a $245,000 grant to expand its Mobile Outreach Program. The investment will support additional staffing and infrastructure enhancements, positioning the organization to meet growing community demand for behavioral health crisis response services.
In 2025 alone, Crisis Services answered more than 68,000 calls from Erie County residents, and its Mobile Outreach program conducted 4,486 intakes for mobile crisis response—figures that reflect both the scale of its work and the growing demand for crisis care.
