THE Mt Waverley parents of a 20-year-old autistic man who want to help their son live independently in a neighbouring property are facing an uphill battle with the Department of Human Services.
In a submission to a parliamentary inquiry about supported accommodation, Ellen and Mark Modra have spoken out about the challenges they face in securing funding for the support he needs.
Luke Modra lives in a community residential unit run by Disability Accommodation Services in Mt Evelyn.
He suffers from high levels of anxiety and stress that can lead to violent outbursts.
In 2005, after a conference in Brisbane where they met other people with Luke's condition living independently, Mr and Mrs Modra purchased the house next door and planned to convert it into supported accommodation for Luke.
Mr Modra said the DHS spent at least $400,000 each year to care for Luke at the Mt Evelyn CRU.
He estimated it would cost the department about $250,000 to provide the same level of care to support him at the house next door.
Support services provided to Luke include one or two carers, special equipment, a modified van, outings and day programs.
However, the DHS would offer only $185,000 a year.
Mrs Modra said Luke was a handsome young man with a pleasant personality who was "forgiving, trustworthy, honest, polite, endearing, determined and engaging".
She said Luke had lived with the family until he was 15 and moved at that time to a Wantirna CRU for "emergency respite".
His parents were reluctant to move Luke, but said caring for him was a 24-hour job that could be stressful and demanding, and they had four other children to care for, on top of their jobs and other responsibilities.
Luke was moved to the Mt Evelyn CRU two days before his 18th birthday.
His parents say that due to his behavioural outbursts, he has no contact with other residents and limited contact with staff and is not allowed to leave a modified van when taken on outings.
They estimate he has not been allowed to leave the van on trips for the past two years, and say an outing to the beach consisted of Luke sitting in the van in a car park.
He even had to use a specially
constructed "cage" to walk from
the van to the unit's front door.
Centre for Developmental Disability Health Victoria education director Dr Jane Tracy said people with a disability could "blossom" in the right circumstances, but they faced problems such as stress, mental illness, physical harm to self or others and isolation.
In response to detailed questions from the Journal, a DHS spokesman said the department could not comment on submissions made to the inquiry, but it was working closely with the Modras to provide support to their son.
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