Caribbean Haven temporarily halts women’s residential programme

https://www.caymancompass.com/2026/03/27/caribbean-haven-temporarily-halts-womens-residential-programme/ Substance abuse treatment and recovery centre Caribbean Haven Residential Centre has temporarily closed its residential programme for women, leading to concerns over a critical gap in care for those in need.

Caribbean Haven opened in Breakers in 2000 to provide non-medical withdrawal management and residential treatment for people with substance use disorders. It is operated by the Department of Counselling Services under the Ministry of Health, Environment and Sustainability, and a dedicated six-bed women’s unit opened in 2008. 

Before Caribbean Haven opened, people with substance misuse issues were sent for treatment overseas, but it was decided that more effective long-term care could be provided in an environment closer to home.

Temporary pause

Department of Counselling Services Director Rayle Roberts confirmed that Caribbean Haven was currently not admitting female patients into residential care, saying, “This temporary pause relates to operational and staffing considerations and reflects our responsibility to ensure that all individuals admitted to the programme can be supported safely and effectively within a structured therapeutic environment.

“At present, residential services continue to operate for male clients, and DCS continues to provide outpatient counselling and substance misuse support through other services within the Department, including the Counselling Centre and the Family Resource Centre.”

He said that the department would continue to offer community-based individual and group treatment services to support those seeking recovery and women who needed medical detoxification before entering a halfway house could qualify for that service through the hospital.

Critical gap

Frank Volinsky, CEO of The Bridge Foundation, which offers residential care for adults recovering from drug and alcohol addiction, said he was “increasingly concerned about a critical gap in Cayman’s addiction recovery system, following the closure of services for women at Caribbean Haven earlier this year”.

People struggling with drug or alcohol addiction are often referred to Caribbean Haven for short-term detox treatments from medical facilities, counselling centres or the court system, and The Bridge Foundation provides a transitional living space that provides support and structure needed to strengthen recovery skills before moving to independent living.

Care provided by organisations such as The Bridge Foundation relies on detox as the essential first step in recovery, a stage provided by Caribbean Haven.

“Without access to this stage, we believe women are unable to safely begin treatment,” said Volinsky. “While Poinciana Rehabilitation Centre plays an important role, its primary focus is on mental health, and it is not structured to provide dedicated detox services. As a result, we are unable to accept women into our recovery housing without detox being completed, leaving vulnerable individuals without a clear pathway into care.

“This is a serious and urgent issue that requires coordinated action to restore a complete and equitable continuum of care for women in the Cayman Islands.”

Review of health services

Roberts said that, as the recently-appointed director of the Department of Counselling Services, he had begun a review of behavioural health services, including the operations of Caribbean Haven, adding, “Ensuring that both men and women in the Cayman Islands have access to safe, effective substance misuse treatment is a priority, and we are actively examining options to strengthen and expand the programme moving forward.

He continued, “The Department recognises the importance of ensuring that women in the Cayman Islands have access to appropriate substance misuse treatment and recovery services, and work is actively underway to review programme capacity, staffing models, and service delivery options to safely resume dedicated programming for women.”

The centre celebrated its 25th anniversary in November last year. At the time, Minister for Health Katherine Ebanks-Wilks said: “In marking 25 years of Caribbean Haven Residential Centre’s establishment, we reaffirm our commitment under the Misuse of Drugs Act to ensure evidence-based residential treatment, prevention and rehabilitation for all those affected.

“The work of Caribbean Haven is essential in operationalising our responsibilities in education, prevention, awareness and treatment of substance misuse. This milestone underscores our unwavering resolve to build a healthier and more resilient Cayman Islands community.”