St. James Rectory Residential Treatment Center (Bridge House)

Habitat for Humanity has undertaken another large capital project working in partnership with the Anglican Church and Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) to create a Residential Treatment Center for people with mental health needs currently in inpatient care with long-term psychiatric needs at Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute (MWI). The facility will offer integrated and interactive training and skill building programs. This is a model that has been adopted around the world and is experiencing great successes.

 

The undertaking between Habitat and BHB was to restore the old St. James Rectory in Somerset, currently owned by the Anglican Church. The Rectory was purpose designed and renovated by Habitat for Humanity into a rehabilitation facility for eight of MWI’s patients who originated from the Somerset area to repatriate them. This Residential Treatment Facility will give them a chance to learn how to take care of themselves in a home environment as well as participate in their community.

 

The facility is now being fully staffed 24 hours a day, helping their clients achieve a level of functioning sufficient for success in a less supervised setting requiring fewer intensive services, and achieving a greater degree of independence.  The average patient is over 60 years of age and none of them have demonstrated aggressive or violent behavior. They are the ideal candidates for deinstitutionalization and for undertaking skill training. It is the hope of the specialists and caregivers, that they will be fully functional within their community setting.

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In November of 2024 the project was handed over to the Bermuda Hospitals Board and the eight clients were able to move in and start their new lives.