Media Room

Connecticut’s First Peer Run Respite

Connecticut’s First Peer-Run Respite, The Gloria House

Connecticut’s first Peer Run Respite is now officially open and accepting guests! I was able to attend the grand opening of The Gloria House last week and take a tour of the house. After spending a year advocating with folks in the peer community to bring peer respites to our state, this was really exciting.

New Life II, a Black-owned, peer-led recovery community organization, operates the peer-run respite. The Gloria House’s mission is to create a brave space in which Respite Guests can find the connection and support needed to navigate emotional distress and turn a difficult time into an opportunity to learn, heal, and grow.

A peer-run respite is a voluntary, short-term program that provides 24/7 community-based, non-clinical (non-medical) mental health crisis support as an alternative to inpatient hospitalization. Peer run respites are staffed by peer support specialists. These individuals have lived experience of mental distress, crisis, and life altering challenges. They used their lived experience to relate to and support folks who are experiencing distress.

Several states have peer run respite programs. The peer community in Connecticut advocated to open and fund eight respites during this last legislative session, and though the bill ultimately didn’t pass, the opening of The Gloria House is a tremendous step towards realizing that goal.