Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services has announced that the new Mental Health and Addictions Centre in St. John’s will open to patients on April 13, 2025. The modern facility, which boasts 102 beds, is designed to enhance patient care with a variety of features, including individual inpatient rooms, shared spaces, and upgraded counselling and therapy areas.
Dr. Pat Parfrey, president and CEO of NL Health Services, expressed enthusiasm about the upcoming opening. “We are pleased to announce the opening date for the new Mental Health and Addictions Centre, marking a significant milestone in our efforts to improve mental health care for the region,” he said. “This achievement would not have been possible without the dedication and hard work of our employees, physicians, and leaders who have put in countless hours to bring this project to life.”
The new facility replaces the 170-year-old Waterford Hospital, with ongoing work focused on ensuring a smooth transition. The final stages of the transformation include the installation and testing of information technology, communication, and safety systems, as well as staff orientation and clinical equipment testing.
The transition from Waterford Hospital to the new centre will take place over the course of one week, from April 7 to April 13, 2025. On the opening day, all mental health inpatients from Waterford will be transferred to the new facility. The centre will feature 78 acute care beds, 24 forensic beds within provincial correctional health services, and 14 adult acute care beds at the Health Sciences Centre. The combined beds will provide a total of 116 spaces for mental health and addictions patients in the Eastern-Urban Zone.
Glenda Webber, vice president of mental health and addictions at NL Health Services, emphasized the patient-focused design of the new centre. “This facility represents a monumental step forward in improving mental health care in Newfoundland and Labrador,” Webber stated. “We engaged both employees and individuals with lived and living experience throughout the planning process, ensuring the new centre includes amenities and spaces that promote patient recovery and wellbeing.”
The new Mental Health and Addictions Centre is poised to significantly improve the delivery of mental health services in the region, providing both modern facilities for patients and a supportive environment for staff to deliver quality care.
