Riverland Council for the Handicapped organised a steering committee that worked with IDSC and the families to obtain the funding and support to set up LAAS. A grant of $150,000 was received following a meeting with the Health Minister, John Cornwall. This enabled a Board of Management to be established as well as the appointment of two staff, and the setup of a house in Loxton. The establishment of LAAS demonstrated a new way of service provision by supporting people with significant intellectual disabilities and behaviours of concern within a rural community.
After the establishment of the first home in Loxton, LAAS has grown over the past 36 years to include four homes in Loxton, three in Berri and one in Renmark. A day options program, based out of Loxton, was also formed. This provides clients with meaningful, developmental day activities and is used by not only clients supported by LAAS in accommodation services, but other individuals living with disabilities across the Riverland.
