Help for young people in nursing homes and extra funding to support more people with disabilities are highlights of a significant Budget boost to disability services.

Community Services Minister Sherryl Garbutt said the 2006–07 State Budget helped meet the challenge of addressing disadvantage by increasing services and choice for all Victorians.

Ms Garbutt said the Budget delivered an extra $46.5 million over four years for extra disability services.

'Victorians with disabilities will get more hands-on help in their homes, more assistance with daily living, more access to community services and more respite services for their families.'

The four-year boost to disability services includes:

•          $20.3 million for individual support packages to help an extra 170 people with disabilities each year;

•          $12.7 million for the Futures for Young Adults program to support 200 young adults with a disability join the workforce;

•          $4.4 million for a new Nightlife initiative to provide mobile care during the night for up to 36 people living across Melbourne with physical disabilities and neurological conditions;

•          $4.1 million to help organisations deliver disability day services;

•          $5 million for capital works to make community facilities more user-friendly for people with disabilities so they can participate more fully in arts, cultural, sport and leisure activities.

The Budget also delivers $20.8 million for young people in nursing homes—the first instalment of the Government's $30.1 million, five-year funding pledge to be matched by the Commonwealth.

'Aged care facilities are not appropriate accommodation for younger people with a disability and we will fund alternative accommodation options to better meet their needs,' Ms Garbutt said.