Consultation: Deafblind Community WA & NDIA

Recommendations

What difference between NDIA and NDIS?

NDIS is the plan run by the Australian government to provide funding for Australians living with disabilities.

NDIA is the manager/administration of the NDIS.

Why we have meeting?

A deafblind person made a complaint to the Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission about NDIS.

The NDIA said they would work together with deafblind people to make the NDIS better for them.

We work with them for nearly 2 yrs.

Now we want to recommend changes to NDIS for better supports for deafblind people.

We want to send 4 important changes to NDIA.

Recommendations

1. Before: no deafblind as single disability on NDIS. Must choose Deaf or blind

   Now change: Deafblindness as disability on NDIS. No choose Deaf or blind

2. Before: NDIS planners and LAC’s not trained in deafblindness

   Now change: NDIA will have training on deafblindness Online training must for NDIS planners who have deafblind clients

1

Deafblind training made by deafblind community and deafblind consultant

3. Before: Interpreters booked for NDIS meetings not always deafblind trained, not deafblind persons preferred interpreter

   Now change: NDIA staff trained to understand lots of communication methods in deafblind community Deafblind person free to choose interpreters they want that match’s communication need NDIA to improved website and documents to make accessible for deafblind

4. Before: NDIA not include deafblind people into any changes to NDIS

   Now change: deafblind people to be included for opinion on changes to NDIS For example: new NDIS – Independent Assessment. Deafblind people can participate in the trial, giving feedback on good and bad experience on needs of deafblind people

Consultation: Deafblind Commuinty WA & NDIA Recommendations – V.2 2