Animals Helping Humans
Date: 2 August 2024
Follow up to submission to Senate Committee 12 July 2024
Subject: Community Affairs Legislation Committee National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No. 1) Bill 2024
to: Senators cc: The Hon Bill Shorten MP
From: Wendy Coombe Animal Therapies LTD
E: info@animaltherapies.org.au W: https://animaltherapies.org.au/
Dear Senator,
Animal Therapies Ltd made its submission (No.56), to the above Senate Committee on 12 July 2024.
Further to this, an urgent on-line meeting request was submitted to the Hon Bill Shorten MP, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). There has been nil response from the Minister to our written request and follow up calls to his offices. As such we feel it necessary to communicate our concerns to the wider political arena. We would be happy to brief you or your staff personally if needed.
Summary of Issue
I am writing to you in my capacity as CEO of Australia’s leading institution for preventing and managing mental illness and other health conditions using animal- assisted services.
You will be aware Minister Shorten is leading an NDIS funded services review. As part of this review, he has stated in parliament that services that include animals, except assistance animals, will be excluded from future NDIS funding.
Additionally, Animal Therapies Ltd (ATL) members are very concerned about the false and misleading information, outdated terminology and lack of referencing of current research studies on the NDIS website, “Animal-Assisted Interventions” section. If this information is used as the basis for decision making, it will be negligent in its entirety.
Animals Helping Humans
Minister Shorten’s comments might not intend to exclude fully qualified, insured professionals who work alongside animals from delivering NDIS services. However, ATL urges you when considering the proposed NDIS Amendment Bill 2024, to ensure that these vital services are not excluded so that people living with disability continue to have access to these essential services. In fact, these services were classified as essential services throughout the pandemic.
The wide-reaching benefits of animal-assisted services are well documented and the need is growing. This includes helping people at risk of, or who are, suffering mental illness, eye disease, hearing impairment, seizures, asthma, life threatening allergies, diabetes, fluctuating blood pressure, cerebral palsy, autism, post-traumatic stress, episodic or serious medical crises, disability, acquired brain injury, multiple sclerosis, stroke, spinal cord injury and other physical, neurological or psychological conditions through animal-assisted services.
Many clients’ now accessing animal-assisted services, had reached out as a “last resort” after having struggled with traditional room-based therapies. They were not thriving and their capacity was low.
The benefits of incorporating animals and nature into goal-directed programs designed to support people with intellectual, physical, sensory, cognitive and psychosocial health conditions are embedded into research. Services are directed and/or delivered by a practitioner with specialized expertise within the scope of practice of their profession.
If the NDIS Amendment Bill excludes animal-assisted services, we firmly believe this will have a detrimental impact on the lives of people with disability and undermine the original intent of the NDIS. ATL members are also fearful lives will be lost, unless there is consideration by government to better understand the vital work of those in the sector.
Background
Animal Therapies Ltd (ATL) is the national peak body for the animal-assisted services sector.
To provide context of our role, ATL represents a range of professionals and practitioners who work alongside animals as a key part of their service delivery.
The type of service being delivered depends on the qualification of the person delivering it and includes fully insured psychologists, psychotherapists, occupational therapists, counsellors, speech therapists, teachers, educators and others working within the scope of their practice.
Animals Helping Humans
Animal-assisted services support people with disability, and those experiencing mental health conditions including, trauma, complex trauma, post-traumatic stress, domestic and family violence, and/or other physical, neurological or psychological conditions.
Over 80% of the recipients of animal-assisted services are people with a disability due to the nature of their disability. It is their disability itself that often makes them reach out to animal-assisted practitioners.
The work undertaken by animal-assisted service professionals and practitioners is underpinned by ATL’s Code of Ethics, Code of Conduct and Minimum Competencies.
ATL is eminently known for its work and has received support from numerous government agencies including the Department of Social Services and the Queensland Mental Health Commission. Both the NDIA and the head of mental health for the Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA) have all presented at ATL’s national conferences.
Our work in the sector, has led to a leading national life insurance provider, to develop and undertake a pilot of equine-assisted rehabilitation for long term claimants under income protection insurance claim. A researcher has been embedded into this initiative. This is an extraordinary achievement.
As part of its organisational purpose, ATL offers a fully funded mental health outreach program for those unable to financially access animal-assisted mental health support.
Professional Animal-Assisted Service Providers
ATL has the largest Australian National Directory of fully insured animal-assisted practitioners, providing transparency over practitioner qualifications, training and who they are qualified to work with. These practitioners agree to abide by the ATL Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct.
Animal-assisted therapists are registered health professionals who work alongside various species, primarily horses and dogs. Animal-assisted practitioners are trained and fully qualified as psychologists, psychotherapists, counsellors, social workers etc and are eligible for membership with a professional body such as PACFA, ACA and OTA, to name a few.
Equine Assisted Learning / Education facilitators do very valuable work in assisting NDIS participants to learn capacity building and social skills. This includes teaching additional needs and neurodiverse children skills including the core curriculum.
Animals Helping Humans
They utilise animal activities to engage the educationally disengaged and motivate struggling learners. They provide transferrable learning skills and liaise with teachers, psychologists, speech therapists in the delivery of their services.
Animal-assisted activities don’t necessarily involve a qualified animal handler however their animals have been assessed as safe and suitable for various programs such as Riding for The Disabled which can help with community and social participation.
Conclusion
The animal-assisted services sector is underpinned by research and is evidence based.
On behalf of the animal-assisted services sector, ATL urges you to understand the definition and benefits of animal-assisted services including the training and qualifications of practitioners.
Animal-assisted therapies are highly regarded worldwide and have existed for many years and have had undeniable benefits for so many people.
ATL asks in the strongest possible terms that the proposed NDIS Bill Amendment 2024 continue to make animal-assisted services accessible for NDIS participants.
Should NDIS participants be denied access to these vital services, 80% of the animal-assisted services sector made up of small business will have to close their doors leaving people unemployed and those in need without affordable services.
Once again ATL requests a meeting with Minister Shorten and the Committee to answer any questions and to be able to further demonstrate the effectiveness of the work delivered by the animal-assisted services sector.
Yours in wellness Wendy Coombe I CEO & Founder Animal Therapies Ltd Advancing the understanding, acceptance and accessibility of animal-assisted services for those in need