Released on October 4, 2018
Today, Moose Jaw Wakamow MLA and Legislative Secretary to the Minister of Social Services Greg Lawrence, on behalf of Social Services Minister Paul Merriman, joined community members, dignitaries and group home residents in Moose Jaw to celebrate the grand opening of three new group homes for Eden Care Communities.
These three houses will be home to 14 people with intellectual disabilities who have transitioned from Valley View Centre. The government is providing operational funding of more than $1.5 million to support the three group homes.
“Our government is committed to working with the residents of Valley View Centre, their families and communities to have successful transitions,” Lawrence said. “This work couldn’t be done without community-based organizations like Eden Care, to help create inclusive communities across our province.”
Valley View is targeted to close December 2019. Currently, 48 people reside at Valley View Centre and are in the process of finding new homes in communities of their choice.
The Ministry of Social Services has contracts with Eden Care to provide group home supports for 14 people, day programming for 14 people and person-centred enhanced supports for three people.
“Eden Care Communities is committed to transition of 14 residents who live with disabilities from Valley View to their new community-based homes in Moose Jaw,” Eden Care Communities CEO Alan Stephen said. “Our care model, which complements our Eden Alternative® philosophy of care, provides cross sectional and functional care that is relationship-based with an orientation toward the whole person in all our homes, programs and services. People living with an intellectual disability deserve and have the right to be actively engaged members of society with autonomy, security, identity, personal growth, joyful experiences, community connectedness, and a life full of meaning.”
These group homes support the Saskatchewan Disability Strategy by creating residential services for people with disabilities. Saskatchewan residents and communities that have done work that aligns with the Disability Strategy are encouraged to share their accomplishments using the hashtag #SKDisability. The Saskatchewan Disability Strategy Facebook page can be found at www.facebook.com/skdisability.
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For more information, contact:
Leya Moore
Social Services
Regina
Phone: 306-787-3610
Email: leya.moore@gov.sk.ca