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(16 June 2010) Today, Montrose will open Cape House – the UK’s first transitional living facility for clients returning from residential treatment. Located in a quiet mews in South Kensington, Central London, Cape House has been developed to provide a safe, contained, community environment to assist in the early-stages of recovery and a long-term, sustainable rehabilitation.

The house can accommodate up to eight clients at a time allowing for a sense of shared community and responsibility. By way of a bridge to returning to ‘normal’ life, residents are expected to take responsibility for the running of the household – including budgeting, shopping, cooking and cleaning, relying on their peers for support and under the watchful eye of the specialist psychotherapeutic team that is in place.

Cape House has been established as a support mechanism for clients leaving Montrose’s South African clinics after extended periods of treatment of around three months. At a time when clients are still vulnerable and in the early stages of recovery, the facility will be able to offer one-to-one counselling and assist clients with their bespoke personal recovery plans and life goals such as attendance at 12-Step Fellowship meetings, voluntary work, educational courses and developing academic/career prospects.

Clients are expected to remain in Cape House for up to three months in accordance with their own needs and to offer them the best possible chance of a smooth rehabilitation and long-term recovery. During their time at Cape House, each resident will have the opportunity to face the challenges of daily life experiences with around-the-clock care.

The specialist team at Cape House will be headed up by Norman Beacher, who is recognised as one of the country’s leading drug and alcohol counsellors. He comments: “When people enter treatment, they go through a process of gaining insight into their addictions and also into their behaviour and the effect it has on those around them. When they leave treatment, it is often very difficult to transform that newly gained insight into concrete action without structured support. That is why we are delighted that Cape House offers unique, bespoke treatment plans to all clients leaving treatment to ensure a smooth transition back into day-to-day life.”

Montrose has placed a huge emphasis on comfort, privacy and discretion with clients housed on two sites nestled amongst the foothills of Cape Town’s iconic Table Mountain. Montrose Place accommodates clients seeking treatment for a range of addictions, chemical dependence, depression and compulsive behaviours; whilst the nearby property Montrose Manor is dedicated to clients with eating disorders.

Founder of Montrose, Johnny Graaff, comments: “We designed Cape House as a home-from-home for clients returning from extended periods of treatment. We are keen for all residents to work together to reacquire key skills which might have diminished during periods of addiction and subsequent treatment. With these in place, alongside a bespoke recovery plan supported by the very best quality of care from our resident team of specialists in London, we can offer clients the best possible opportunity to achieve a lasting recovery and an uncompromised quality of life”