10 May 2011

Pact Southland has opened a new service in Invercargill to provide support to clients with an intellectual disability.

Pact Southland regional manager Jackie Kruger says the two-bedroom supported accommodation service has been set up to provide 24/7 sleepover support for RIDSAS (Regional Intellectual Disability Supported Accommodation Service) clients referred by Access Ability Limited. From time-to-time, mental health clients may be accommodated in the house too.

"It is pleasing to finally be able to extend our adult supported accommodation service in Southland to certain groups of people with an intellectual disability, which offers them to opportunity to be supported close to home," Jackie says. "Being close to family/whanau is often very important to clients. We hope, in time,