Post by Deleted on Oct 3, 2018 12:15:04 GMT 7
Most people with disability ineligible for NDIS, may lose all support
Ninety per cent of the 1.4 million people with a disability in NSW may lose all vital support once the state government's funding of advocacy services ends in two years, disability groups warn.
The NSW government has committed all its disability services spending to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), which the federal government is rolling out, and has provided an additional $26 million over two years to state-based advocacy services to assist with the transition to the scheme.
However, the NSW Disability Advocacy Alliance said the vast majority of people with a disability were ineligible for the NDIS, and it needed ongoing funding at the state level to help them.
"Many people with disability will ... end up incarcerated, homeless or in hospital, putting lives at risk and placing significantly greater stress on the NSW public purse," the alliance's Serena Ovens said.
The alliance, representing 22 groups, has asked the government not only for ongoing funding, but for it to be increased to $20 million a year.
"We believe we are under-funded, most of our organisations can't manage the load coming at us every day, with the huge waiting lists," she said.
In a report released on Tuesday, the alliance said for every dollar invested in advocacy services in Australia, a benefit of $3.50 was returned.
"This is a very high ratio of benefits to costs and shows that independent advocacy represents a highly effective use of resources," the report said.
"Without disability advocacy support, the 10 per cent provided with an NDIS funded plan won't have access to an independent champion to help them navigate the fledgling NDIS system.
"For the 90 per cent not receiving NDIS funding, the loss of disability advocacy will mean an even greater gap in access to support and being included in their community."
At an upper house inquiry hearing on the NDIS and disability services in NSW, the Physical Disability Council of NSW reported that people who previously received "low-level" support from the now-closed Ageing, Disability and Home Care (ADHC), and who were not eligible for the NDIS, were ending up in hospital.
The NSW government shut down ADHC last June after it transferred all the funding to the Commonwealth for the NDIS. It also privatised some support services.
"There's one gentlemen who physically couldn't care for himself and needed help with meal prep, for example. Unfortunately, his CCSP [Community Care Supports Program] package was removed and he wasn't eligible for the NDIS," the council said at the hearing.
"He tried to do things himself but he was unable to maintain his health, his ability to stay at home, and was hospitalised."
The alliance also said that once the two-year funding ends, many disability advocacy groups would drastically reduce in size or disappear.
These include the NSW Council for Intellectual Disability, which has been around for 60 years, and Blind Citizens NSW, which has existed for more than 100 years.
The Muscular Dystrophy Association of NSW said: "The information and referral service would be unfunded meaning that we would potentially lose 50 per cent of the staff from our small client services team."
The Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association said: "About 16 staff members of the 28 will lose their job."
Michael Rabbit, a 61-year-old paraplegic, said he did not qualify for the NDIS and he relied on advocacy services to help him access healthcare, education and public transport. He crushed his back in a fall 26 years ago.
"To advocate on my own behalf would take an enormous amount of energy, in fact it would consume my whole life," he said.
"So it’s incredibly important that well funded, vibrant, active, advocacy groups are out there acting on my behalf to try and improve my access – what I want to be able to live a normal life."
A spokeswoman for Disability Services Minister Ray Williams said the government recognised there was an "ongoing role" for advocacy to support people with disability.
"We will continue to meet with advocacy groups and people with disabilities to understand their ongoing needs and support going forward," she said.
www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/disability-ineligible-ndis-support-nsw-alliance-20181002-p507as.html
Ninety per cent of the 1.4 million people with a disability in NSW may lose all vital support once the state government's funding of advocacy services ends in two years, disability groups warn.
The NSW government has committed all its disability services spending to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), which the federal government is rolling out, and has provided an additional $26 million over two years to state-based advocacy services to assist with the transition to the scheme.
However, the NSW Disability Advocacy Alliance said the vast majority of people with a disability were ineligible for the NDIS, and it needed ongoing funding at the state level to help them.
"Many people with disability will ... end up incarcerated, homeless or in hospital, putting lives at risk and placing significantly greater stress on the NSW public purse," the alliance's Serena Ovens said.
The alliance, representing 22 groups, has asked the government not only for ongoing funding, but for it to be increased to $20 million a year.
"We believe we are under-funded, most of our organisations can't manage the load coming at us every day, with the huge waiting lists," she said.
In a report released on Tuesday, the alliance said for every dollar invested in advocacy services in Australia, a benefit of $3.50 was returned.
"This is a very high ratio of benefits to costs and shows that independent advocacy represents a highly effective use of resources," the report said.
"Without disability advocacy support, the 10 per cent provided with an NDIS funded plan won't have access to an independent champion to help them navigate the fledgling NDIS system.
"For the 90 per cent not receiving NDIS funding, the loss of disability advocacy will mean an even greater gap in access to support and being included in their community."
At an upper house inquiry hearing on the NDIS and disability services in NSW, the Physical Disability Council of NSW reported that people who previously received "low-level" support from the now-closed Ageing, Disability and Home Care (ADHC), and who were not eligible for the NDIS, were ending up in hospital.
The NSW government shut down ADHC last June after it transferred all the funding to the Commonwealth for the NDIS. It also privatised some support services.
"There's one gentlemen who physically couldn't care for himself and needed help with meal prep, for example. Unfortunately, his CCSP [Community Care Supports Program] package was removed and he wasn't eligible for the NDIS," the council said at the hearing.
"He tried to do things himself but he was unable to maintain his health, his ability to stay at home, and was hospitalised."
The alliance also said that once the two-year funding ends, many disability advocacy groups would drastically reduce in size or disappear.
These include the NSW Council for Intellectual Disability, which has been around for 60 years, and Blind Citizens NSW, which has existed for more than 100 years.
The Muscular Dystrophy Association of NSW said: "The information and referral service would be unfunded meaning that we would potentially lose 50 per cent of the staff from our small client services team."
The Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association said: "About 16 staff members of the 28 will lose their job."
Michael Rabbit, a 61-year-old paraplegic, said he did not qualify for the NDIS and he relied on advocacy services to help him access healthcare, education and public transport. He crushed his back in a fall 26 years ago.
"To advocate on my own behalf would take an enormous amount of energy, in fact it would consume my whole life," he said.
"So it’s incredibly important that well funded, vibrant, active, advocacy groups are out there acting on my behalf to try and improve my access – what I want to be able to live a normal life."
A spokeswoman for Disability Services Minister Ray Williams said the government recognised there was an "ongoing role" for advocacy to support people with disability.
"We will continue to meet with advocacy groups and people with disabilities to understand their ongoing needs and support going forward," she said.
www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/disability-ineligible-ndis-support-nsw-alliance-20181002-p507as.html
