It's the end of a very long era for the Valley View Centre in Moose Jaw, SK.
Serving as a home for Saskatchewan residents with intellectual disabilities since 1955, the facility will be closing its doors in 2016.
And that means that in the next three years, the centre will be moving residents into community-based services instead, after the provincial government announced on Aug. 26 it had accepted recommendations made by the centre's transition steering committee.
Kevin McTavish, executive director for the Saskatchewan Association for Community Living (SACL), an organization that works closely with residents and their upcoming transition, said the feedback in Western Canada shows people are enjoying living in a community more than an isolated institution.
In a release from the Government of Saskatchewan, it was mentioned that back when Valley View was constructed in the mid-'50s, "large institutions represented the standard of care for people with intellectual disabilities."
Now they're few and far between in Canada.
"We're down to a handful of them now," McTavish said.
McTavish explained that the Ministry of Social Services stopped accepting new applications for residents back in 2002, the push for the challenged to be integrated into community-based housing becoming more popular with each passing year.
With residents passing away, and no new applications coming in, attrition is a factor and, as McTavish explained, it just doesn't make sense for the centre to continue.
According to various reports on Valley View's website, families of long-standing residents are concerned they'll fall through the cracks, worried that community programs won't be fit to manage the needs of those who are severely disabled.
Others are more concerned about the sense of home that Valley View has given them for the duration of their life.
"There are some residents who have been at Valley View for at least 50 years," McTavish said, noting the institution's various professions and level of care.
"There's a lot of support there."But McTavish said the ministry, the centre and the SACL, who have been working in tandem during this transition process, are adamant that the ancillary services be just as good.
"We've had great feedback from residents who have been transitioned out of the centre, and have seen its success in other provinces where large institutions have closed down in favour of community-based services," McTavish said.
"As you can see, nobody has reversed their decision and rebuilt a large institution instead."
He explained that while most residents will go straight into community services when they depart Valley View, those with higher needs, or individuals who aren't taking to the community programs right away, will be placed in a temporary residence operated by the Ministry of Social Services. According to a media release, the residence "will provide assessment and short-term stabilization supports as well as supports for individuals transitioning into their future home."
In layman's terms, it'll act as a stepping stone between the centre and community programs.
"They can be in that residence for up to 18 months," McTavish said, emphasizing that it's not permanent, the goal still being to have residents in community services instead.
Valley View's residents will have a great deal of autonomy in their decision making as well, when it comes to choosing which community they'd like to settle into.
"They have as much a say as anyone over where they'd want to live," McTavish assured, although the staff at the centre and the ministry will be of assistance to them in providing information and helpful guidance.
He explained the good thing about Valley View's closure is that it's given its residents more options and flexibility in their choices.
"Inclusion is really important to us at [SACL]," he said.
So with that being said, will some residents be choosing to settle in Humboldt?
"We've had people from Valley View as clients before," said Iris Philippon, activitiy center supervisor for Humboldt's Futuristic Industries, a day program for the intellectually disabled that includes a wood-working shop and craft centre. The facility also sponsors the local Sarcan depot next door.
"We had one person who had been kept in an institution for most of his life. When he came to us, it was like a kid with candy," recalled Daryl Abel, manager of Futuristic Industries.
"Our clients attended some event and he was just so excited, wide-eyed and jumping up and down. Someone asked me what had gotten into him and I said 'Well what would your reaction be if you were finally introduced to all the things in the outside world?'"
Futuristic Industries was founded in 1973, after local parents and teachers were concerned over what the mentally challenged would do after finishing high school. Abel himself has been with the organization since 1975; Philippon since 1988. In fact, most of the staff at Futuristic Industries have hit the 30-year mark as an employee, a testament to how near and dear they believe in what they do.
"I'd hate to see workshops like ours get phased out," Philippon said. "They're so important but the belief now is 'Oh, they're not doing enough. They need to be out at a real job.' Well what if they can't work a job at Sobeys or A&W? What if they really like it here?" Philippon added.
And it turns out, they do.
"We've had some of our clients come in here during after-hours, to hang out or do some work," Abel said. "It's like home to them."
The facility provides the clients a training allowance for the work they do, whether it's carving ornate furniture in the wood-working shop or simply dusting off counter tops.
All the furniture and crafts the clients make is sold in the building's display room.
"It's an incentive to get up in the morning, come here and feel needed. Feel that they're getting something done, that they are, indeed, working," Philippon said.
Futuristic Industries also runs three group homes in Humboldt, as well as provides a caretaker for their supportive level program - where those who are intellectually disabled can live on their own but may require help with cooking, laundry or other chores.
Currently, all their group homes are full, with a waiting list. And Futuristic Industries makes one thing very clear to those living in their group homes:
"They've got to work," Abel said. "They have to have something to do during the day. Whether it's coming here or working another job, they can't just sit around all day long."
Abel said if the Community Living Division of the Ministry of Social Services notifies them that a Valley View resident would like to move to the Humboldt area, they'd be happy to welcome them to their day program, or group home if another one opens up in the future, or a spot at one of the current homes becomes available.
However, Abel said someone already living in Humboldt would be a first priority before taking in a resident Valley View.
"We used to have more support in the area. We had almost 50 clients here because we used to have private service homes around town, so there were more housing options," Abel said.
Private service homes are when someone agrees to house an intellectually disabled individual, after getting approval from the ministry. Abel said there aren't currently any in Humboldt, which may be why the facility's client list has dipped down to 31.
As for Valley View's closure, both Abel and Philippon have mixed feelings.
"There's pros and cons to both," Abel said.
"I'm supportive of it as long as they don't separate people who have become attached to each other," Philippon explained. "I've seen it many times before where our clients really need each other. When they're separated, it upsets them greatly and changes their behavior," she said.
The Valley View Centre is expected to be closed by March, 2016.
