Individual Support
Purchasing Individual Support means that you have the maximum amount of control and choice over your supports and how they are delivered because the focus is solely on your vision and needs.
Some people have chosen to use all of their funding to purchase individual support and over the past 3 years an increasing number of people have made this choice and have been much more satisfied with what they are achieving.
If you make this decision you will pay an hourly rate (from your funding) for your services which means that you will receive less hours of support than you would in group support. How much support you will be able to purchase will vary based your level of funding.
If you are part of the Futures For Young Adults (FFYA) program we need to discuss your funding to purchase individual support with your DHS planner first.
Group Support
For some people their personal circumstances mean that they need to get the maximum number of hours of support from their funding so group support is the option they choose. It is more challenging to meet individual needs in a group situation and this can be frustrating for some people, but unfortunately no matter how well we match participants in groups … there are always competing individual needs.
Most people are used to purchasing their group support Monday to Friday 9-3, but we are encouraging people to think differently ie start at 3pm on a Friday and incorporate a meal and a movie and finish at 9pm.
Mix of Group and Individual Support
Some people choose to have a mix of group and individual support and find that this is the best way to get their needs met. As with individual support the amount of support you can purchase will depend on your level of funding and what your mix of group and individual support is.
Cost
Many other agencies like Amicus charge a fee for you to use their services but there is no General Service Fee at Amicus. While there are no fees, you will need to have money for the activities you choose to be involved in. A Service Calendar will be developed with you and your group (if you are purchasing group support) and the cost of the activities will be listed on this calendar. Sometimes you will need to pay some money for travel in Amicus buses or cars if you are going on a long trip. This cost is divided amongst all the participants involved in the activity.
We encourage people to keep their money for their activities in their own wallet and a pay for things themselves. Your support worker can assist you to handle your money and keep receipts if you need help. If you have difficulty with your money, please talk to us and we will help you to work out other arrangements that might suit your needs.
Transport
Wherever possible Amicus encourages the use of public transport as a means of building skills and capacity for independence, however we acknowledge that this is not possible for everyone we support. Limited local travel is incorporated in the unit cost however for longer trips travel is charged per km.
Staffing
Amicus currently employs almost 50 staff, experienced in working with people with intellectual, physical and sensory disabilities, Acquired Brain Injury and neurological conditions, to deliver our range of services. They are talented and motivated and believe in making a difference and work hard to achieve it! Our minimum qualification is Certificate IV in Disability and our recruitment process includes mandatory police checks and Working with Children Checks if an employee will be working with children or in an environment where they will come into contact with children.
Safety and Compliance
Amicus currently receives funding for the services it provides from the Department of Human Services and the Department of Health. We are compliant with all obligations under our contractual arrangements including data collection, incident reporting, police and working with children checks.
Insurance
As a community service organisation Amicus is covered by the Victorian Managed insurance Authority (VMIA) and also Work Safe Injury Insurance.
Amicus Inc 