Source: The Bendigo Advertiser

MEMBER for the Northern Region, Damian Drum, wants to hear the distressing and heartbreaking stories of those who care for the disabled.

Mr Drum has called for families, carers and organisations in Bendigo to make submissions as part of a parliamentary committee review of supported accommodation for the disabled where professional care is provided.

He said there was a disturbing number of ageing parents trying to keep families together and worrying what would happen to their disabled children when they (parents) died and could not live independently.

"In my five and half years in parliament, one of the most distressing and heart-breaking issues has been the massive shortfall in care for people with a disability or mental illness," Mr Drum said.

"I have had families in my office in tears over this issue.

"I have seen individuals and families fall apart under this stress," he said.

Industry has also backed the call.

Harcourt Disability Services chief executive Bob Pascoe said the group's position was that there was just not enough supported accommodation and that was a position that was well known.

He said the problem was a huge resource issue involving not only the provision of the homes across the state but also the recurrent funding to have them properly staffed.

"We are talking hundreds of millions of dollars."

The National Disability Services has also advocated for the continuance of Supported Residential Services and believes the number of people choosing the option will increase with the expansion of individualised funding packages and the unmet demand for accommodation.

MP for the Northern Region Wendy Lovell has also backed the call.

Ms Lovell said that for eight years Community Visitors, an independent accommodation watchdog, has reported a shortage of beds and community accommodation for people with a mental illness.

Ms Lovell said the situation had effects right throughout the mental health system, with 46 per cent of hospital mental health beds blocked because of the shortage of discharge options.

However, the Federal and State Governments this week opened a six-bed respite care facility in Gisborne.

Victorian Minister for Community Services Lisa Neville with Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities Bill Shorten announced that the Brumby Government would provide $565,000 towards a six-bed respite facility, to be constructed by Golden City Support Services, who would provide $570,000 of funding towards the project.

The local community has also raised $85,000 towards the project, which will be built in Gisborne.

The two governments signed a joint funding agreement for disability services in May, which will provide an extra $1.9 billion for disability services across Australia, with $478 million to be spent in Victoria over four years.