New homes to be built for people with disabilities

Nova Scotia says eight new community-based homes are to be built for people with disabilities.

The province, which has been defending itself at a human right inquiry against a complaint that it discriminated against people with disabilities by keeping them in institutional settings, says each home will house up to four people.

It says information sessions will be held beginning in July for potential developers in the regions where five homes will be located: two in the Halifax area and one each in Yarmouth, Kings and Lunenburg counties.

The following month, the Community Services Department will issue a call for vendors to apply to develop and operate homes.

It says work is already underway on the development of homes in New Glasgow, Isle Madame and Clare.

Two patients, Beth Maclean and Joseph Delaney, have alleged the Department of Community Services violated the Human Rights Act by forcing them to remain at the Emerald Hall psychiatric ward in Halifax for over a decade, even though they had been medically discharged.

The human rights complaint argues they should have been provided housing in a “small options” home after psychiatrists medically discharged them.

Small-options homes are small housing units where day-to-day support is provided to people with intellectual disabilities to allow them to live in their community.