Rep. Schmaltz secures funding to help adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities age safely and with dignity

State Rep. Kathy Schmaltz has secured $2 million in the new state budget to help renovate and modernize the memory care wing at the St. Louis Center in Chelsea, ensuring Michigan residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities have access to specialized care as they age.

The one-time capital investment will allow the St. Louis Center to upgrade aging infrastructure and create an environment for adults experiencing dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and other forms of cognitive decline. The project will improve safety, expand clinical capacity, and enhance therapeutic services for residents while helping meet a growing need across Michigan.

“The St. Louis Center is one of the most caring places I’ve ever visited,” said Schmaltz, R-Jackson. “For more than 65 years, this organization has provided compassionate, life-changing support for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. As residents live longer and face new challenges associated with aging, we have a responsibility to make sure they can continue receiving the care they need close to home and surrounded by a community that knows and loves them.”

Founded in 1960, the St. Louis Center serves adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities through residential, educational, respite, and skill-building programs. Since opening its doors, the center has supported more than 800 individuals and their families. Today, it serves residents and families from 11 Michigan counties and provides specialized services that allow individuals to remain integrated within their local communities rather than living in distant institutional settings.

Fr. Satheesh Alphonse, chief executive officer and board president of the St. Louis Center, said the funding will help the organization better serve a population with increasingly complex needs.

“Michigan residents that do have intellectual and developmental disabilities are living longer, but they also show signs earlier of things like dementia and Alzheimer’s,” Alphonse said. “What we’re hoping to do with this appropriation is renovate the structure that is originally from 1960 and make key improvements to ensure we can take the best care of those who need memory care. This project will provide a dedicated memory care space, a Snoezelen therapy room, and expanded nursing and clinical capacity to better support our residents and the families who depend on us.”

The renovation project includes:

• A dedicated memory care space designed to improve safety, reduce agitation, and enhance quality of life for residents experiencing cognitive decline.
• A Snoezelen multisensory therapy room featuring calming lights, sounds, and textures to reduce anxiety, improve emotional stability, and decrease the need for medication interventions.
• An expanded nursing station and clinical area with additional examination space to support higher-level medical assessments, coordinated care, and improved health outcomes.

“This project addresses a very real and growing challenge facing families across Michigan,” Schmaltz said. “The renovations will create a safer environment with specialized programming, expanded medical support, and therapeutic spaces designed specifically for people experiencing memory loss and cognitive decline. It will improve quality of care, reduce reliance on hospitals and emergency services, and help families find the support their loved ones need within their own communities.”

The funding was included in the state budget approved by the Legislature and signed by the governor last month.