Bronx Psychiatric Center unveils 17,000+ sq ft Bronx Wellness Center; OMH to back RFP for nonprofit operator

Dr. Tyson Boudreau, presenting to the Bronx Community Board 11 Health & Human Services Committee, introduced the Bronx Wellness Center, a renovated 17,000-plus square-foot space on the campus of Bronx Psychiatric Center at 1500 Waters Place. “This is not a clinic,” Boudreau said. “This is going to be a wellness repository, a wellness center, almost like a fitness center, where people will have membership to the center and have access to a plethora of services that help with wellness and well‑being.”

The center, renovated in 2019 and located at the entrance to the BPC campus, includes multiple rooms, offices, a commercial kitchen, a greenhouse and large grassy areas. Boudreau said the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) and the governor’s office have approved financial support to help identify and seed a 501(c)(3) nonprofit to manage the facility. The state will release a request for proposals in July; Boudreau said proposals will need to be turned in by October and that award letters will follow before October.

The project aims to operate on an “asset model” rather than a traditional medical model, focusing on culturally grounded healing, prevention, social interaction and whole-person wellness. Boudreau described partnerships and program components under consideration, including hydroponic farming (citing work by nutritionist Henry Obispo), textile and fashion training, arts-based healing, culturally responsive movement and drumming, food cultivation and community performances. He said clinicians (psychologists, social workers) will not be the primary providers; instead, the center will emphasize social entrepreneurs, artists and culturally based practitioners.

Boudreau outlined a membership concept patterned on gym models, saying, “you pay $10 maybe a month … and then you have access” while noting that specialized activities could carry small additional fees. Members will receive a health-related social needs assessment that screens for social drivers of health (food insecurity, housing, employment, education, safety, access to care) and links people to resources. He emphasized that the center is intended for all Bronx community members, not only people with serious mental illness, and that it will be open for events such as community board meetings.

Committee members asked about logistics. Boudreau confirmed the center is a day-use facility, not an inpatient program: “It's like a fitness center. You're gonna go to a fitness center and have access to resources that will help your well-being.” He said OMH and the governor’s office will provide startup support for the nonprofit operator and that the RFP timeline intends selection this fall. Boudreau also said the center held a debut on March 27 with community stakeholders in attendance and that commissioners, including Commissioner Sullivan and Associate Commissioner Bob Moon, attended and spoke with Henry Obispo about the greenhouse project.

During audience Q&A, community members raised nutrition, veteran and senior access, and whether practitioners and community boards could use the space; Boudreau said the center can host scheduled meetings and health fairs, and he mentioned interest from beekeepers to support on-site horticulture. He also said the center will include programming that can be three- to six-month rotations offered by the nonprofit operator.

Next steps Boudreau listed: the RFP release in July; proposals due by October; award letters to follow; selection of a 501(c)(3) to manage operations and programming; and continued community outreach.

The committee did not take formal votes on the center during the meeting; the meeting later adjourned by motion.