Spam: Submission to the Inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill 2012
From: To: Community Affairs, Committee (SEN); Subject: Spam: Submission to the Inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill 2012 Date: Friday, 18 January 2013 11:26:54 PM
Please consider this email a formal submission by me to the Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs Inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill 2012.
The current disability system has many problems that need to be addressed.
The system is currently unfair and patchy. In WA there are three main problems. Firstly, people with acquired disabilities through for example motor accidents have an terribly unfair and un-rehabilative ‘no fault’ insurance process, which means that some people can access compensation funds, and some can’t. Those that can’t face a lifetime of what can be an inability to access the services they need in order to optimise their recovery and live in the community. Secondly, the eligibility for disability services funding, and indeed mental health service psychosocial and disability support services is based on disability type, rather than the extent of the disability that the person has. For example, too often people with co-existing psychiatric and other disabilities lose out on the services they need - too many of these people are detained in hospital or gaol, so the cost to the person and to the community in this case surely must be more than the cost of good services would be. Thirdly, Aboriginal people and CALD people can miss out as the current systems are aligned with what the services provide, rather than what people need.
The main features of the NDIS that will make a difference to the community are:
- Ensure support and equipment is available when needed, People with a disability can choose the types of support to use,
- Better access to mainstream support and services,
- Better access to education and work opportunities,
- More opportunities to participate in the community,
- More employment of people with disability and less reliance on social welfare,
- More rights for people with a disability,
- People with a disability can plan their lives and pursue their goals and dreams,
- People with disability can choose who comes into their home,
- The ability to receive services when needed and in the way that suits the person,
- Increased ability to coordinate services to suit the “whole” person/family,
- Minimising the number of times people have to tell their story in order to get support,
- Less red tape, with planning done locally by people who know their community,
- Access to reliable information about support options,
- Removal of age barriers to services for children,
- People with disabilit y/family will influence the types of support and services offered,
- Older parents and families will not worry what happens when they can no longer provide support
The most important services for the NDIS to provide are:
- Therapy and allied health services,
- Equipment and home/vehicle modifications,
- Education support (technology/services/equipment),
- Life-skills,
- Employment support,
- Recreation and community access,
- Support for families and carers,
- Accommodation options,
- In-home care and domestic assistance,
- Flexible in- home/outside home respite,
- Case management, planning and coordination,
- Crisis and emergency support,
- Positive behaviour support and psychological services,
- Interpreters and other communication support
I support the introduction of the NDIS.
An NDIS will ensure that everyone with a disability will be able to access the service they need, irrespective of the type of their disability, their age, gender, race or ethnicity, just as Medicare does.
It will be fair.
I agree for my submission to be made public
Regards,
Ms Helen Lynes