Ribbon Cut For ​“Recovery & Wellness” Hub

Shouts of joy erupted in the Hill as community healthcare leaders, philanthropists, and local and state politicians cut the ribbon on a new 52-bed, $38 million addiction recovery center on Minor Street.

That new facility is Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center’s Recovery and Wellness Center, a three-story building that now stands at 149 Minor St. and is expected to open to patients later this summer.

“This was no small task to pull off. In this instance, it really did take a village. And a lot of white hair and about twenty pounds,” Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center CEO Michael R. Taylor said to the laughter of the crowd at Tuesday’s ribbon cutting.

The center will provide intensive wraparound medical services for patients suffering with substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health illnesses. It will open some time in late July and early August. 

Services for patients will include dental health, blood and physical check-ups, and psychiatric help. The building will be staffed with 24/7 support from clinicians, psychologists, psychiatrists, detox techs, recovery coaches, registered and licensed practical nurses, and peer recovery specialists. Additionally, there will be career services, like resumé editing and one-on-one consultations. 

An estimated 50 staff members are expected to work at the center.

“Our community and neighborhood is really struggling, as are communities around the nation right now, in particular with substance use disorder,” Mayor Justin Elicker said on Tuesday. ​“And every one of us knows someone that has been tragically impacted by addiction”

According to Elicker, 115 New Haven residents lost their lives to overdose-related complications last year. Elicker then drew a comparison to the number of lives lost to gun violence in the last year: 25. 

“Overdose rates in the United States is not merely a health issue, but it is a moral imperative,” Cornell Scott-Hill Health Chief Medical Officer of Mental Health and Addiction Services Dr. Ece Tek said. ​“It’s fair to say this, however, in the face of adversity, we must find hope and the hope is Cornell Scott-Hill Health Recovery and Wellness Center.”

The 31,000 square foot building has 52 beds: 40 beds for men and 12 beds for women. According to the presser, the Recovery and Wellness Center will be the first residential recovery center in Connecticut to have beds specifically allocated for women. There will also be a kitchen and showers for clients to use, alongside a fitness center, meditation and art rooms, and two libraries. 

Taylor stated that the building has been a nearly ten-year long journey, calling back to when he, Tek, and other officials at Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center began brainstorming a residential wellness center in 2015. Tek said that it took ten years to find the money to fund the endeavor, relying on state funds, donations from different foundations and sponsors, and even dipping into their own pockets to invest into the center. Initially, the project was estimated to cost around $20 million, but after delays during the Covid-19 pandemic, the figure increased to around $38 million, according to site manager Carlos Santiago.

Officials emphasized accessibility as a focus for the center.

“We accept everyone. We accept underinsured, uninsured, [people on] Medicaid,” Tek said. ​“For many people, it can be nearly impossible to find appropriate treatment. Now, here we are. We will do everything for them.”

With accessibility, opportune timing is also an essential aspect of the center. Right next to the center is the South Central Rehabilitation Center, ready for any patients who might need to detox. 

“When somebody’s ready to finally get off the street, they want to stop their addiction, it’s crucial that you act that moment,” program director Daena Murphy said. ​“I think having the flexibility of the therapeutic shelter, you’re able to bring people in basically the same day.”

Besides Taylor, Tek and Elicker, speakers at Tuesday’s event included Chief Human Resources Officer Andrea Lobo, Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center board co-chairs LindyLee Gold and Orlando Cordero, Gov. Ned Lamont, state Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Commissioner Nancy Navarretta, Deputy Commissioner Shantell Varrs-Patrick, State Rep. Juan R. Candelaria, city Health Director Maritza Bond, Hill Alder Ron Hurt, Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce CEO Garrett Sheehan, and Svigals + Partners Managing Partner Jay Brotman. Taylor thanked each member for their efforts.

“We are obligated as a community health center to deliver resources necessary to respond to the needs of residents of the communities we serve across the region and state,” Taylor said. ​“You can’t know what this means for us to be able to deliver the kind of care that I like to say our people deserve.” 

Then, Taylor repeated: ​“Deserve.”