House for former Waterford patients closes indefinitely after stop-work order

Residents of a transition house in St. John's have been relocated after the provincial government issued a stop-work order at the facility. 

The ACCESS House, which serves as a step-down program for patients who have been discharged from the Waterford Hospital, moved all five residents of the six-room house out by Thursday afternoon.

Four residents are back at the Waterford Hospital, while a fifth has found a spot in a community placement, until more permanent measures are put in place.

Eastern Health said the order from Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) concerns safety risks to workers at the site, such as working alone in situations that may be considered high-risk, and lack of appropriate staff training to address these situations. 

Beverley Clarke, vice-president responsible for mental health and addictions at Eastern Health, said additional staff was added to the original one-staff member model. However, training issues were not addressed within the time frame outlined by Service NL.

Eastern Health said the temporary closure will allow correct measures to be put in place to address staff and client safety, training and building related issues.

$100K needed in repairs

However, Clarke said it's unknown when — if ever — the ACCESS House on Empire Avenue will reopen.

A recent assessment of the building revealed it would cost around $100,000 for different renovations and the program model is considered "dated."

"We've displaced residents of the house, but it gives (us a) moment to pause and really look at the house itself and what needs to be done and you know if this is really the right environment into the future," Clarke said 

The priority at the moment, Clarke said, is to ensure the residents are safe and can find community placements.

There are nine employees at ACCESS House.