A Message from the Chief Minister Introduction from the Minister for Social Inclusion Achieving Social Inclusion Safer Families Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander People Culturally and Linguistically Diverse People People with Disability Children and Young People LGBTIQ People Older People Supporting Disadvantaged People & Families Mental Health Law & Justice Education
People with Disability
Implementation of the NDIS
- On 1 July 2014, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) trial began in the ACT. The NDIS is a new way of providing individualised support for people with a permanent or significant disability. By mid 2016 the ACT will be the first jurisdiction to accept all eligible residents into the scheme which equates to approximately 5,000 people.
- The transition to the NDIS is a major change for organisations as well as individuals across the ACT. The Commonwealth and ACT Governments are investing $21.8 million to prepare the ACT sector and people with disability for the NDIS.
- Joint investment into the scheme in the ACT will continue to grow to $342 million, when the NDIS is at full scheme nationally. In 2019-20, at full scheme, it is expected that the Government will provide $167million (49%) and the Commonwealth will provide $175 million (51%).
- At 31 December 2015, 2,947 people had approved NDIS participant plans representing 97% of the agreed target, to that date, of 3,307. This rate reflects the effectiveness of the range of supports established to assist ACT residents to prepare for, and access, the NDIS. For example Your Voice Your Choice, Good Life Planning was launched in September 2015. The program will run until December 2016 and is developing, delivering, coordinating and supporting events, tools and resources which focus on people who have not traditionally engaged with disability services.
- The number of providers of disability services in the ACT continues to grow as it must to ensure NDIS participant needs can be met under the NDIS. As of February 2016, 201 organisations were registered with the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) to provide services in the ACT. ACT providers
have benefited from access to a range of resources and supports funded through the Commonwealth NDIS Sector Development Fund. Three programs were launched at the end of 2015 to support ACT disability providers to operate successfully in the NDIS environment. Each of the following programs will run until
December 2016:
- Ready4 is providing a central point of information and delivering direct one-on-one and small group support for NDIS service offer, and business, system and governance model development.
- Opening Doors is providing an intensive targeted response to Aboriginal organisations looking to build their capacity to enter disability provision in the ACT; and working with selected mainstream disability providers looking to deliver more culturally sensitive services.
- Values in Action is providing intensive assistance to selected disability providers committed to develop a sustainable high-performing person-centred workforce.
- Throughout 2015 and in February 2016, ACT providers had three opportunities to apply for tailored NDIS development assistance through NDIS Business Investment Packages valued up to $50,000 per organization; 50 allocations were made totaling $1,712,170.
- An additional $718,000 has been allocated for 2016-17 to support the implementation of the NDIS.
The ACT Government recognises that our community is stronger for the contribution of every member. That is why we are acting to help everyone participate and reach their full potential, through:
- INVOLVE – Canberra's Disability Commitment is the Government’s localised approach to progressing the six outcome areas of the National Disability Strategy. INVOLVE provides a framework to promote and achieve positive social and economic outcomes for people with disability through
the collaborative action of government, business and community. Change is being achieved through social campaigns that focus on practical actions in each priority area and which galvanise support using digital and non-digital approaches. INVOLVE was developed through community consultation and
a whole of Government approach.
In 2015-16, the priorities are housing, NDIS implementation, jobs and skill development. In 2016-17, the priorities will be health, justice and inclusive communities. The ACT Disability Expert Panel and the ACT Inclusion Council are providing advice on the development and implementation of INVOLVE. - The Government is providing $1m in funding for the design and construction of upgrades to around 100 bus stops to meet Disability Standards. The upgrades will include improved wheelchair accessibility to bus stop boarding areas, tactile for vision impaired customers, and access paths.
- All new bus fleet purchases are to be Disability Discrimination Act compliant.
- Nearly 400 eligible students with disability access the Special Needs Transport program. This program provides a door-to-door service to and from school for eligible students accessing a Disability Education program. Special Needs Transport is provided by the Education Directorate as an in-kind support under the NDIS.
- Provisions to support students in their training are built into all ACT funded training initiatives. Skilled Capital, the ACT’s signature entitlement training program, and the Australian Apprenticeships (User Choice) program both provide loadings of $500 for registered training organisations to provide supports to a range of eligible students including people with a disability. Registered training organisations may also apply for further financial supports (up to $3,000 in some cases) to meet specific additional training needs of students.
- The CBR Innovation Network supports Enabled Employment, a Canberra based startup business specifically designed for people with disabilities. The company was accepted into the highly competitive GRIFFIN Accelerator program and won a startup of the year award.
- Detainees with a disability at the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC) have access to support in line with that available in the community, and that the Government is committed to ensuring that detainee needs are not overlooked in the implementation of the NDIS. The Justice and Community Safety Directorate’s Corrective Services is involved in cross-jurisdictional discussions with the NDIS Taskforce about how the NDIS will be introduced in the custodial system and the implementation of appropriate processes, including improved screening tools to identify issues.
- New accommodation facilities inside the existing AMC campus have been built in response to increasing detainee numbers. The new Accommodation Unit significantly enhances the accommodation capability of the Justice and Community Safety Directorate’s Corrective Services and, in conjunction with the 30 cell Special Care Centre, has significantly enhanced capacity at the AMC. The new accommodation areas have the capacity to allow detainees with mental or physical disabilities to be housed appropriately and cared for according to their needs.
