Legislator champions state support for upgrades at St. Louis Center

State Rep. Kathy Schmaltz and administrators with the St. Louis Center testified before a legislative committee this week, advocating on behalf of a proposed state grant to help fund building upgrades at the Chelsea facility.

Schmaltz, R-Jackson, requested the $6 million grant through the state budget process to support the renovation and modernization of the skill building wing of the main building at St. Louis Center, which has served Michigan residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities for more than 65 years.

“As the population of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities grows older, the needs become more complex and the gaps in care grow wider,” Schmaltz said. “This renovation will allow the St. Louis Center to offer specialized programming that supports healthy aging, reduces stress for families, and ensures no one is left behind simply because the right support system isn’t available.”

Since opening, St. Louis Center has provided residential, educational, and skill-building support to more than 800 individuals and their families. The skill building wing, constructed in 1960, currently supports programs that promote mental agility, physical fitness, and independence for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The planned renovations would transform this space into a fully accessible, modern facility featuring specialized memory care for adults with cognitive impairments, including Alzheimer’s disease, and a Snoezelen Therapy room designed to create a calming and therapeutic environment.

“There’s no other place like this in the region,” Schmaltz said. “This is a chance for the state to step up and be a partner in something that truly changes lives.”

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor and Economic Opportunity will make determinations about which grant projects are funded as the state budget process progresses.