Centracare Psychiatric Care Facility

operational

Opportunity Saint John’s existing 150-year-old psychiatric facility was no longer meeting the mental health needs of the communities it served. The Province wanted to construct a smaller, less institutional mental health care facility. Innovations Monthly operating payments include a $25,000 annual Refurbishment Allowance and a $10,000 annual Equipment Replacement Allowance that must be set aside in a separate bank account. This ensures the facilities will be maintained over the life of the Project Agreement. Expenditure of these funds is at the discretion of the Department of Health. Results The project was completed on-time and on-budget. The 36,000 square-foot, single level psychiatric care facility utilizes clustered living areas and has a low-profile exterior and three skylights in contrast to more institutional psychiatric layouts, reducing the stigma associated with mental health issues. The facility has 50 mostly private patient rooms, recreation areas, a chapel, meeting rooms, a quiet room, library, family lounge, a salon and occupational therapy rooms. Enclosed courtyards allow residents to enjoy the outdoors safely and in privacy. Core services include: An Inpatient Unit focusing on psychosocial rehabilitation, successful community re-integration and promoting personal recovery; A Psychogeriatric Unit(16 beds) providing care for individuals exhibiting persistent long-term chronic mental illness with a premorbid but stable medical condition and demonstrating significant behavioural or management concerns; A Complex Behavioural Unit focusing on individualized, specialised and intensive skills training and rehabilitation for individuals with a dual diagnosis; and Outreach Services which provide assessment and treatment recommendations, education and support for clients and discipline specific interventions as defined by the client’s needs. A facility-wide computerized persona alarm system for staff enhances security. A staff cafeteria and offices were also built.

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