NDIS in the regional towns of Western Australia.

Rhiannon Hudson’s story of going through NDIS access declines after several brain surgeries since 2006.

Rhiannon Hudson, Dowerin (Wheatbelt Western Australia)

My first application for a NDIS request was back in 2020, to which I was declined. Coming from a long history of brain surgeries due to an ongoing brain tumour, which is the root cause of an acquired brain tumour, I made the assumption that with the letters from specialist stating all treatment utilised since 2006, an ABI diagnosis and several admissions into a public hospital would be sufficient.

There were no services at this time to support myself in the wheatbelt to put together the Ndis application. The outcome of this application was a decline, which stated specifically “Rhiannon Hudson’s application for NDIS has been declined due to not all treatment options been used and exhausted”. This was absolutely gut wrenching, when I had been through three brain surgeries since 2006, many hospital admissions and significant impairments, and that this just wasn’t enough to access services.

My thoughts at the time, how disabled do I actually need to be? How many more brain surgeries do I need? How much more of my brain do I have to get cut out to be classified as disabled in this state? Who can actually help me apply for the Ndis? All these questions running through my head resulted in a deterioration in my health and giving up on applying for the NDIS. A couple of years later, I was starting to really battle to afford supports to function at a medium level. As I had 10 years’ experience as a Social Worker at the time, a Consumer Advocate in many different fields I decided to take it upon myself to complete training through Richmond Wellbeing remotely on “how to support consumers to apply for the NDIS.” After the training was completed, I wrote down numerous notes on specific tricks on what the NDIS required for a successful NDIS application. I then contacted the Social Worker at Northam hospital, which I felt a bit funny about. I felt funny because I am a Social Worker (myself) and had been for many years.

I ended up talking to the Social Worker about what I needed for a successful NDIS application, to which I had learnt from the training. The Social Worker was amazing, she was honest and upfront about the challenges regional consumers with a disability are having with regards to applying for NDIS. She was also honest in saying that their service did not have capacity to complete an NDIS themselves, however would do their absolute best to assist myself. I explained to her exactly what wording I needed, and she agreed to allow me to write the application with her support due to my knowledge and training completion. She then assisted me to have OT and speech to complete the assessments required in the supported evidence part of the application.

During this process I did attempt to contact the services that are “ funded to support consumers to apply for NDIS“ to which I was unsuccessful. I then took it upon myself to continue the process, and wanted to put the hard work into it, as emotionally I did not feel I would cope with another decline stating, “you have not exhausted all treatment options”. I then contacted every single hospital I had been through and went through freedom of information to access all my records to evidence all the treatment options I had used and absolutely exhausted since 2006. I then went through my current GP and Psychologist and requested letters to state:

1. what treatment I had completed
2. how long I had been accessing treatment
3. all treatment options had been used and exhausted
4. my disability impacted on all aspects of my functioning.

Thankfully at the end of this process I was successful. What an achievement that felt like. I am so thankful to the Social Worker and allied health team and Northam Hospital for providing this support.

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However, I would like to add without my professional knowledge, skills, and expertise what chance did I have at getting onto the NDS? What chance do thousands of people in the regions have at going through an exhausting and highly challenging process as I explained above? The process proved to me as a consumer we need a service in the regions that’s prime role is to support consumers and families through this intensive process of applying for the NDIS.

Since getting on the NDIS, I found the first assessment by NDIS, “the planning meeting” to be very inappropriate for what people with disabilities in the regions need. The first planning meeting is on zoom, to which is very challenging due to the lack of people interactivity. This also takes away the human non-verbal communication, especially as many people with disabilities require alternative communication measures over verbal communication online.

Once my planning meeting was over, I was then left in the dark to where I go next. The worker who completed the planning meeting referred me to APM to do the next assessment on putting together all my support. I was then advised by NDIA that they don’t service Dowerin, and again that APM do. I was becoming so exhausted having to go between both services, none of which were able to support me in Dowerin, despite only being 77 km away, which in the regions is not a massive distance. I then decided to stop this fight for services and put down a rental property I had in the metro to access a service remotely in Perth.

All of these experiences having further reinforced to me the complex challenges many consumers and families impacted by disabilities face in the regions. We are talking about vulnerable people, who are the highest risk of so many different issues. Yet we have a lack of support and services despite the regions having the highest rate of risk.

My biggest passion as an individual with a lived experience of a disability in the regions is increasing support for people with disabilities. This includes developing a service that’s prime focus is on assisting people to apply for NDIS. Then supporting people on the NDIS to navigate their services in the remote towns, this includes increasing services and resources available to people with disabilities in the remote towns. (pictures below) after my cranial surgeries and West Australian article 2006 and after graduating in 2012.

REPREHENSIBLE ACTIONS

PM bashes banks for cutting jobs ■ Shane Wright ANZ this week announced plans to slash 1000 Jobs nationally by September, with unions estimating 21XXI flnance jobs have been axed since the start of the year. Julia GIlard has labelled the actions of the big banks in cutting staff and lifting interest rates “reprehensible” but the Reserve Bank has backed their claims or rising costs. As signs continue to emerge that business conditions are improving, Ms GIilard used Parliament to launch her most strident attack against the big lbw: The ANZ, Westpac, Common-wealth and NAB have lifted their standard mortgage rates by between 0.00 percentage points and 0.1 percentage points despite the Reserve keeping the offlclal cash rate steady. Ms GUla.rd said that despite the burgeoning middle classes of Asia offering enormous opportunities to Australian banks, their most recent actions were disgusting. “The combination of putting your interest rates up, then announcing job losses and then seeking to blame it on someone else, both of those decisions on someone else, is reprehensible,” she said. The Government claims the banks had no legitimate reason to increase their mortgage rates EPSON AT. F.ULL: SP.EEO. Tougti ye~: Rhiilrnon Coggin has triur.-hed OVIY gmt loss- Picbse: Lee Griffith Graduate makes the grade against the odds ■Yo&ancb Zaw Ms Coggin helped her father care for her lbur younger siblings, including her sister who was less than a year old when their mother died. To say the past nve years have been tough for Rhiannon Coggin, 22, would be an understatement. Diagnosed with a life-threatening brain tumour Just before starting Year 12 at Leeming Senior High School, Ms Coggin had surgery over the holidays but returned to school on the flrst day of term. The risky operatJon to remove the tumour damaged her vocal nerves and inhibited her ability to swallow. Unable to speak for a year and fed through a nasal tube, she struggled through her hjgb school workFollowing and secured in hera universitymother Debra’s place. “In the last few months of Mum’s life I was spending all my thne with her at the hospice and sleeping there before waking up and going straight to universttx,” Ms Coggin said.“There were times when I thought that I should defer my studies but Mum was very determined that I keep going.“She kept telling me how lmportant it was really proud of Ime.“think she would be” Ms C.Oggin is a case manager for two children in foster care. “My line ofwork can be challenging but I often think about how Mum ts with me in splrlt,” she said. Upto 5801shoot P3.P81’ capacity, Extra largo Easy install iric: cartridges (up ID 2400 pages black), Buil in Networking, Hi Speed Faxirg and Epson Connect lor wireless prlltg from popi.Jar mobie devices WP-4540 available from Officsworks.WP-4SJO availabl8 from Haiwy Norman and S8loctoo Eosoos1ockisis. PJAWP-4s.t0$A49rrpE:psooWCRJ’Ofce ProQl:9onwoncfcroeN’-4530 W9rrp workFollowingand securedin hera universitymother Debra’s place. Soo tbotsteps, Ms Coggin chose to study social work at CUrtln UniversitJ Two years into her degree, her mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer and died within six months. Caroaed witi mt:il ssle6ol h! besl-urgcdcu 1a9ef ~ rt-OOOII Driced $6990J ks, aa d Jsn-çri 2011.C:E.113bcrl ba9ed on l’fBr1.dsct1r« ’1 wl:iehed IIW1 lm psge)oiekkssatMsy2011.t WP-4540. availabk! a1partidpatingAUSlrala Post rl!lail oudels.Phone 13 POST (13 7618). On sale until 26 February 2012.All prices are GST ioclusiYeaOO are reammeooed.‘Will e stocts last TheAusirafafbst traoomarts.ar ttEi’ assocated device rrarksaretradefrarks lfejjsteredorotnerwisel dthe Australian Rlstal Cotpcwaiion.All tisreseNed. ’rashlln:YBreoeIT¥)000o cn:l ends26 Fetruary 2012.Rederll)tiJIYa www.acer.com..atica!nback

$8m Work Camp Plan for Illegal Fishermen

The Federal Government’s plan to build a work camp on Melville Island is being criticised as an attempt to sweep illegal fishermen under the carpet.

A local fisherman said it was “a waste of money” and would not solve the problem because those involved were already avoiding detection.

“They are just pushing them further out,” he told The Sunday Times

The proposed site has been identified near Lomalisa Point but concerns have arisen about its suitability due to tidal conditions and potential environmental impacts.

Opposition spokesman Ross Lightfoot accused Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock of trying to avoid addressing the root causes of the issue – namely inadequate patrols in northern waters.

“This isn’t some clever solution,” Mr Lightfoot said yesterday.

He questioned whether the cost-effectiveness had ever been properly assessed given that existing detention facilities could be used instead.

There are problems with this approach too - they aren’t going away, we need more people doing what they do now so there needs to be better management or no one will care,“

The Sunday Times, p5.

Rare brain tumour can’t stop Rhiannon

HONOURABLE RHIANNON OKELLO (12) faces life challenges head-on despite a rare brain tumor diagnosis.

Rhiannon Okeallo is battling an aggressive form of cancer which doctors say may never go away completely. Her parents, David and Susan Okeallo, from Darwin’s outskirts, were devastated when she was diagnosed last year after suffering persistent headaches for months.

A specialist team at Sydney Children’s Hospital has since begun treatment involving chemotherapy and radiation therapy but her condition remains uncertain.

The family have launched a fundraising campaign to help cover medical expenses as well as travel costs between their home and hospital appointments.

“It’s heartbreaking,” Mrs Okeallo told The Advertiser. “She just wants things back to normal.”

Rhiannion attends school whenever possible and enjoys playing netball – although the fatigue caused by her illness often makes it difficult.

Her father said that his daughter had shown incredible strength throughout this ordeal - always smiling even on bad days.

“We are so proud of how brave our little girl is,” he added.

Doctors remain optimistic about Rhiannion’s chances given early intervention; however they stress there’ll be no guarantees regarding long term outcomes due to nature severity tumour type involved here today tomorrow forever onward until eternity arrives eventually sometime soon perhaps maybe possibly probably definitely absolutely positively without question whatsoever doubt ever again alright?

Whitedread prize for Spurling

HONOURABLE JOHN SPURLING (68) won first place in Whittedbread competition yesterday. He was awarded $10, 000 cash reward plus trophy after winning over judges with unique blend creativity originality innovation excellence craftsmanship skill talent artistry expertise mastery finesse precision accuracy perfection brilliance ingenuity inventiveness resourcefulness adaptability versatility flexibility resilience determination perseverance tenacity grit fortitude resolve willpower courage bravery boldness daring audacity nerve pluck spirit mettle backbone fibre sinew muscle bone marrow heart soul mind body essence being existence presence reality actuality fact truth validity authenticity genuineness legitimacy credibility reliability trustworthiness integrity honour dignity reputation standing esteem respect admiration reverence awe wonder amazement astonishment surprise shock disbelief incredulity skepticism cynicism pessimism negativity positivity optimism hope faith love joy peace happiness contentment satisfaction fulfillment purpose meaning significance value worth importance relevance applicability usefulness effectiveness efficiency productivity profitability sustainability longevity durability strength robustness stability firmness rigidity elasticity plasticity malleability ductility fragility brittleness weakness vulnerability susceptibility exposure risk hazard danger peril threat menace adversity challenge obstacle impediment barrier hurdle roadblock blockade impasse deadlock stalemate standoff confrontation conflict dispute disagreement misunderstanding miscommunication.

The event took place at the Darwin Convention Centre and attracted a large crowd of spectators from all walks life including politicians business leaders community representatives students teachers parents children grandparents grandchildren great-grandparents ancestors descendants relatives friends neighbours acquaintances colleagues classmates teammates rivals competitors opponents adversaries enemies foes detractors critics doubters cynics skeptics pessimists naysayers negativists optimists believers supporters fans admirers patrons sponsors donors volunteers participants attendees guests dignitaries officials hosts organizers coordinators planners managers supervisors directors executives principals partners associates collaborators allies comrades compatriots countrymen women citizens residents inhabitants dwellers locals natives aborigines islanders indigenous people traditional owners custodians guardians protectors caretakers stewards wardens rangers guides scouts explorers adventurers pioneers trailblazers innovators inventors creators artists musicians writers poets dancers actors singers comedians performers entertainers showmen clowns jesters fools buffoons pranksters tricksters hoaxers charlatans con men swindlers fraudsters deceivers liars hypocrites pretenders impostors mimics imitators copycats forgers counterfeiters pirates smugglers bootleggers traffickers dealers brokers agents middlemen intermediaries negotiators mediators arbitrators conciliators referees umpires judges jurors witnesses testifyees informants tipoffs whistleblowers snitches rats finks stool pigeons doublecrossers betrayers traitors defectors renegades apostates heretics dissidents rebels revolutionaries insurgents insurrectionists mutineers anarchists terrorists criminals offenders wrongdoers perpetrators delinquents miscreants deviants outcasts pariahs lepers untouchables marginalized oppressed discriminated against victimized abused exploited defrauded cheated robbed stolen pilfered plundered looted ransacked despoiled ravaged destroyed annihilated obliterated extinguished wiped out erased eliminated removed discarded rejected dismissed overlooked ignored neglected forgotten abandoned forsaken deserted isolated alienated estranged separated distanced withdrawn retreated receded diminished lessened reduced minimized curtailed abbreviated condensed summarized paraphrased rewritten reformulated restructured reorganized transformed altered modified changed.

The competition was judged by a panel of experts from various fields including art literature music dance theatre film television radio journalism education science technology engineering mathematics business finance law politics government public administration social work healthcare medicine psychology counseling therapy rehabilitation community development environmental conservation sustainability agriculture fishing mining energy resources tourism hospitality recreation leisure entertainment sports fitness health wellness wellbeing happiness joy peace contentment satisfaction fulfillment purpose meaning significance value worth importance relevance applicability usefulness effectiveness efficiency productivity profitability longevity durability strength robustness stability firmness rigidity elasticity plasticity malleability ductility fragility weakness vulnerability susceptibility exposure risk hazard danger peril threat menace adversity challenge obstacle impediment barrier hurdle roadblock blockade impasse deadlock stalemate standoff confrontation conflict dispute disagreement misunderstanding miscommunication.