Valley View Centre closure announced

February 1, 2012. In February 2012, the Saskatchewan government announced it would close the Valley View Centre (VVC) in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan (previously the Saskatchewan Training School created to help the mentally handicapped) in phases over the next four years. The four-year period would allow the government to work with the families of the residents to come up with plans that would determine their future outside of the facility. It time would also allow the government and the various communities to develop services that would provide additional support for people with mental disabilities.

While the closure of VVC will stop people from sending their families away to an institution to be cared for and force more community-centered programs to develop, it has many in the facility and in the nearby community of Moose Jaw wondering how they will go on without it. The centre employs about 500 people, some of whom have worked there for over 30 years. The apprehension does not stop just to the employees, family members of residents fear with VVC closing their “loved one could be out on the street.” (Carruthers, 2012a, para. 9) Even the residents are not immune to the imminent change; they also feel trepidation at what is coming. According to one of the nurses, they have begun to ask, “Who’s going to look after me? Where am I going?” (Carruthers, 2012b, para. 10) Still, the government has assured everyone associated with the VVC residents. “The target is no one will leave here without a residential plan and to have it ready by that date,” explained Terry Hardy, co-chairman of the Valley View Centre Family Group. (Carruthers, 2012a, para. 11)

-Blaine Wickham

Valley View Centre closure announced

February 1, 2012. In February 2012, the Saskatchewan government announced it would close the Valley View Centre (VVC) in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan (previously the Saskatchewan Training School created to help the mentally handicapped) in phases over the next four years. The four-year period would allow the government to work with the families of the residents to come up with plans that would determine their future outside of the facility. It time would also allow the government and the various communities to develop services that would provide additional support for people with mental disabilities.

While the closure of VVC will stop people from sending their families away to an institution to be cared for and force more community-centered programs to develop, it has many in the facility and in the nearby community of Moose Jaw wondering how they will go on without it. The centre employs about 500 people, some of whom have worked there for over 30 years. The apprehension does not stop just to the employees, family members of residents fear with VVC closing their “loved one could be out on the street.” (Carruthers, 2012a, para. 9) Even the residents are not immune to the imminent change; they also feel trepidation at what is coming. According to one of the nurses, they have begun to ask, “Who’s going to look after me? Where am I going?” (Carruthers, 2012b, para. 10) Still, the government has assured everyone associated with the VVC residents. “The target is no one will leave here without a residential plan and to have it ready by that date,” explained Terry Hardy, co-chairman of the Valley View Centre Family Group. (Carruthers, 2012a, para. 11)

-Blaine Wickham