Legislative assembly for the australian capital territory
National disability insurance scheme—implementation report
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National disability insurance scheme—implementation reportMinisterial statementMS BURCH (Brindabella—Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Minister for Disability, Minister for Racing and Gaming and Minister for the Arts) (11.02): I am very pleased today to provide a progress report on the implementation of the national disability insurance scheme. On 7 May and 4 June 2014, in separate resolutions, the Assembly called for regular reports on the implementation of disability reform in the ACT. I am pleased to be able to provide another update today. It is very timely as on 1 July we marked a significant milestone with the first anniversary of the NDIS trial here in Canberra. Our main areas of focus are to provide reassurance to people with a disability and their families during the transition and to advise affected staff on the opportunities that the NDIS presents. The NDIA has published ACT participant numbers for each of the first three quarters of the trial. The ACT is performing well with 91 per cent of participants in the third quarter having an approved plan. This compares with 85 per cent nationally. Disability ACT is working with its residents to build their capability to exercise choice and control. We know that the transition to the NDIS and the transformation of support for people with a disability represent a big change. This is why Disability ACT is working alongside its residents and families to prepare for the NDIS and support their transition to non-government accommodation providers. Disability ACT has developed a model transition pathway so that residents and their families can clearly see their way into the NDIS. We are providing one-on-one support to residents and their families to prepare an individual plan that outlines residents’ goals and visions, secures tenancy arrangements and discusses transport options. Assistance is also provided to identify the residents’ preferred non-government provider and to prepare and implement a transition plan to a new provider. Residents and families have had the opportunity to attend NDIS information sessions and learn firsthand from people that have been through the planning process. Disability ACT has facilitated two meet-the-provider expos to allow families to explore non-government providers and to ask questions directly of the providers. A key part of the process is supporting people with a disability to make their own choices. The government has engaged the ACT Disability, Aged and Carer Advocacy Service to deliver workshops to build the capability of residents to make good choices, to plan effectively to achieve their goals and aspirations and to negotiate with service providers and the NDIA. We are also working with Advocacy for Inclusion to offer up to 15 households the opportunity to participate in a self-advocacy program to enable residents to maximise the opportunities of the NDIS. Consistent with the phasing schedule, 21 residents from 10 households have phased in to the NDIS. Two households have transitioned to non-government organisations and another two are expected before the end of August this year and another 16 households have selected a preferred provider. Therapy ACT is supporting the transition to the non-government organisations also. We are seeing changes to the service model of Therapy ACT which has continued to provide services for ACT residents from birth to age 65. A dedicated transition team is working with staff and families to facilitate referral to the NDIS, develop quotes for therapeutic services and engage with the non-government sector to build robust services that give families choice into the future. Therapy ACT is also continuing to provide assessments to a significant number of clients that are on the waiting list to ensure participants have a proof of eligibility and functional need that is required to enter the NDIS. I have mentioned previously the ACT Child Development Service. From January next year intake, referral and assessment services to determine eligibility for the NDIS and to provide pathways for intervention will be delivered by the ACT Child Development Service. This will be subject to a separate statement in the Assembly in the near future. While we are excited about the future of disability services under the NDIS we know that service providers also need to be prepared. This is why we are working in collaboration with disability organisations to maximise opportunity and minimise the financial impact of the changing market. Service funding agreements with existing providers were stepped down from 1 July last year in line with the expected client phasing schedules. Since the beginning of this year five organisations have requested changes to their quarterly payment structure to account for delays in client phasing. We as a government are working with each of these organisations to quantify the financial impact and to reimburse agencies for services provided to individuals. The ACT government established a joint community-government working group to develop a transparent and responsive process to assist organisations that are experiencing short-term cash flow issues due to delay of clients phasing in to the NDIS. Disability ACT and the Health Directorate are working with providers on a case-by-case basis to determine if any reimbursement is required due to the delays in participants’ phasing. Reimbursement is based on identification of a material gap. A block funding working group, including representatives from government and the non-government sector, has been established to review the mechanism to verify the identification of any gaps in funding related to the delays in client phasing. Information linkage and capacity building, or ILC, has formerly been referred to in many ways as tier 2 supports. They have had their contracts extended to 30 June next year to allow the commonwealth time to develop and implement the ILC policy framework and a transition plan for the ACT. Our government is also working with the NDIA to develop and implement ILC arrangements beyond 30 June next year. The ACT government continues to deliver on the memorandum of understanding it negotiated with the unions to support the implementation of the NDIS. A case management approach has been implemented to support a staff of 523. Over 87 per cent of all staff have been contacted by a case manager. Of these, 56 per cent of permanent staff have requested voluntary redundancy and 16 per cent have requested redeployment, and 53 per cent of all staff have requested training support. The expectation is that during the next financial year an increased number of households will select a new service provider and the step-down of staff will be managed through the redundancy and the redeployment provisions. The ACT government is investing in the capabilities of Disability ACT and Therapy ACT staff to support them to remain in the sector should they choose to do so. Training support has been requested by 210 staff in Disability and 69 in Therapy ACT. This training includes certificate III or IV as well as diploma level of study, and the majority of training is being provided by CIT. It also includes a small number of staff who have returned from or commenced undergraduate study at university. At 30 May this year the staffing financial impact was $6.1 million. This includes payments for voluntary redundancies, training, financial planning and career advice. At 29 May this year 45 staff had attended the Lighthouse Innovation Centre mentoring and coaching program to explore opportunities for the establishment of a new business or their own private practice. Of those who attended, one new business has achieved registration with the NDIA and a further three are well advanced in their application for registration. Staff can access flexible working arrangements if they want to trial working in a community organisation whilst continuing employment within the ACT public service. As we enter the second year of the ACT NDIS trial we will continue to learn from the progress to date, continue to engage with people with a disability, their families, staff and service providers and will continue to champion the greatest development for people with a disability that most of us have ever seen, and that is a transition that will change their lives and the service provision here in the ACT. I am immensely proud of the way Disability ACT and the Community Service Directorate have been managing this transition. I present the following paper: National Disability Insurance Scheme Implementation Report and the Role of the ACT Government—Ministerial statement, 4 August 2015. I move: That the Assembly take note of the paper. Question resolved in the affirmative. Directory: data -> assets -> word doc -> 0012 word doc -> List of accessible executive records word doc -> National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme word doc -> This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the Commonwealth word doc -> Commonwealth of Australia 2002 word doc -> Commonwealth of Australia 2000 word doc -> Priority Existing Chemical word doc -> Rail safety news issue 6 – October 2011 word doc -> Review of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: Identifying 0012 -> Sample Assessment Tasks 0012 -> Government Gazette issn-0157-833x no. R2 21 April 2016 Architects Act Download 480.04 Kb. Share with your friends:
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