A residential disability facility home to 19 men will close in northern Victoria this month after its operators said it was no longer viable.
Residents have lived at Merriwa Grove in Cobram for as long as 20 years.
With no local alternatives, there has been an offer for accommodation 200 kilometres away at a facility in Bendigo but the idea of being separated is unthinkable for some families, including the Burkes.
Judi Burke's 48-year-old son, Kris Burke, lives with mental illness, including schizophrenia, and has been at Merriwa Grove for three years.
Ms Burke said her son witnessed a fatal car accident in 2014, and tried to rescue victims trapped in their vehicle.
The traumatic experience caused a serious decline in his mental health.
"He was just angry," Ms Burke said.
Ms Burke was his carer and they lived together until it was no longer viable. Since living at Merriwa, she said her son had been the "best he's been" in a long time.
"Kris says to me, 'I feel safe here, it's my home'," Ms Burke said.
Occupant Murray Barter felt the same.
"I don't want to go to Melbourne or anywhere like that," he said.
"I'd rather stay here."
Facility needs upgrading
The families of the men living at Merriwa Grove were informed by letter on April 21 that the facility would close on June 30.
Merriwa chief executive Bart Crawley said it was a very difficult decision, but after 13 years the facility was no longer viable.
"Merriwa does not have the resources available to provide the level of care that the residents require and deserve, one of which is the significant investment required to upgrade the facility to meet regulatory standards," he said.
He said it was Merriwa's "utmost priority" that residents were supported in the transition with "care, compassion, guidance and respect".
Merriwa leases the facility from NCN Health, the public health service for the area.
Offer to take over
A registered NDIS provider from Albury-Wodonga is eager to take over the lease and shift to a new model.
Social Plus Support Work founder Michael Thompson said his organisation already worked with the residents.
"Our intention is not to run this under an SRS [supported residential service]," he said.
"Our intention is to take over the lease of the property and sublet it back to the residents so they have full choice and control of their home.
"SRS aren't as popular as they used to be."
A recent government-commissioned report found some SRS providers had financially abused, neglected and manipulated disabled residents.
Social Plus would maintain in-home support for residents through their NDIS packages.
Those that are not on the NDIS but fit the aged care bracket would be permitted to stay under a grandfather clause.
Victoria's Human Services Regulator assesses applications from prospective SRS proprietors before a compulsory registration process, an essential safeguarding mechanism that cannot be circumvented.
Member for Ovens Valley Tim McCurdy supported the Social Plus proposition, and was advocating for government intervention to provide a temporary solution that would allow Merriwa Grove residents to stay in the interim.
A Victorian government spokesperson said operational questions should be directed to management and the federal government because Merriwa Grove was privately operated.
The Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme was contacted for comment.
