St. Amant removes developmental centre designation

St. Amant, a non-profit that supports Manitobans with developmental and intellectual disabilities, is no longer a developmental centre and is no longer operating as a long-term care facility for those with disabilities.

In a Tuesday news release, the organization said that after decades of serving people in a long-term, institutional care setting, it has officially changed its designation as a developmental centre.

St. Amant noted that it’s been working with the government for 20 years to recognize that institutional care is not appropriate for people with intellectual disabilities.

“People with disabilities have the right to live in the least restrictive environment as possible. We are very pleased that the legislation has caught up with our current practice and that we are seeing an end to institutionalization in Manitoba,” said John Leggat, president and CEO of St. Amant, in a statement.

Over the last few years, the non-profit has changed its admission and discharge policy to only accept short-term admissions for respite, stabilization, health, or end-of-life care. Amid these changes, St. Amant has been working with the government to remove the official designation.

Rochelle Squires, Manitoba’s Families Minister, said the province applauds St. Amant’s shift away from institutional care to a range of interventions to help stabilize and support those in need of short-term help.

“We value our partnership with St. Amant and look forward to continuing working closely with the agency to support and improve the quality of lives of individuals with disabilities as they transition into inclusive, community-based residential placements,” she said in the news release on Tuesday.

At a news conference on Wednesday, Squires said the government has been working to transition people into community-based residences.

"This shift in services has been very positive for all Manitobans and we look forward to that continued collaboration to advance this important work," Squires said on Wednesday.

Kevin Johnson is the former president of People First Manitoba and he said this announcement by St. Amant is important for him.

"It just means a lot to me that people won't be told what they have to do. I think they will have more rights and responsibilities as humans," said Johnson on Wednesday.

"I hope people with disabilities are living happy lives and they don't have to talk about institutions anymore."

Janet Forbes, the executive director of Inclusion Winnipeg, said the past two years dealing with the pandemic has highlighted the importance of relationships, connections and the need to have more control of everyday life and this change helps ensure those values are met.

The Province of Manitoba designated St. Amant as a developmental centre in 1993 under the ‘Vulnerable Persons Living with a Mental Disability Act.’