NDIA Accountability Project

Intellectually disabled people needing caravan park housing

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Submission to the Inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill 2012

From: To: Community Affairs, Committee (SEN); Subject: Submission to the Inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill 2012 Date: Saturday, 22 December 2012 10:17:44 AM

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.

Because good services are almost impossible to get, and then you feel almost privileged to be funded for something -even if it is not exactly what you need or would chose. You are never free to have services that are completely tailored to what you actually need. There are long ( years long ) waiting lists for services and accommodation. The sector is crisis driven and sevices are ad hoc. DHS offer caravan parks as suitable housing for intellectually disabled people, and when questioned as to weather they regard that as appropriate long term accommodation, they say that “ the family know the disabled person better than them and can judge if caravan parks are appropriate“.This is a complete cop-out and leaves people feeling completely abandoned by the department that is charged with improving the health and well being of all Victorians.You are left feeling at fault for needing services. I add that that the discussion about caravan parks took place in a very well appointed DHS office in a choice location, with several DHS officers in the room. The actual services for intellectually disabled people are frequently provided less than ideal buildings, and could do with similar staffing levels as we experienced in DHS meetings. Some disabled people suffer needlessly because the are unable to access the aids and equipment they require. Disabled people’s legal rights are not upheld and abuse of all sorts is rife.

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.

So that disabled people can receive the services and aids they require to lead as full lives of participation in all aspects of society as possible, rather than linger in the shady areas of neglect and suffering in which they so often find themselves in currently.

NDIS provides for people to direct the services to meet their needs and hopefully will spend most of its money on direct help, rather than a huge bureaucracy to crisis manage an ever increasing load, which seems to me to be a complete waste of (lots of) taxpayers money.

I agree for my submission to be made public

Regards,

ms Marianne Dalton