DisabilityCare Australia launched 1 July 2013
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The journey from the big idea of a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) to the reality of DisabilityCare Australia opening its office doors to the public on 1 July has been a long one.
With the historic launch of DisabilityCare Australia on 1 July, people with disability are starting to receive support through DisabilityCare Australia. Locally-based staff members are assisting adults with disability and families with children with disability to develop individual plans, answering general enquiries and providing information to the local community.
The future is not yet guaranteed
A Federal election is set for September 7 – and the agenda is packed with issues that are competing for everyone’s attention.
The NDIS will take another two terms of government before it is fully implemented. It’s up to everyone to make sure that the NDIS doesn’t slip off the agenda.
Hundreds of new candidates are out on the campaign trail trying to win your vote. Over 150 candidates are yet to pledge their support for the NDIS. If any of them become a Member of Parliament in September, we have no guarantee they will champion the NDIS. Their support is crucial to ensuring the safety of the NDIS now and in the future.
No matter who is elected to government on September 7, our politicians must be left in no doubt that they cannot walk away from full funding and implementation of the NDIS.
Contact your local candidates and ask them to confirm their support in writing for the NDIS.
How it will work
DisabilityCare Australia’s shop-fronts in South Australia, Tasmania, the Hunter (NSW) and Barwon (Victoria) were officially opened on 1 July, involving the staff, people with disability, families and carers, support providers, stakeholders and Australian Government representatives.
When the design and features of the shop fronts were being worked on it was a priority to involve people with disability, their families and carers. They provided advice, contributed their views on desirable office features such as location, layout and amenities. People visiting the shop fronts in the first few weeks have commented very positively on the welcoming staff, attractive offices, and most importantly, accessible features such as wide corridors, good parking, hearing loops, signs in Braille, and tactile ground surface indicators.
Read more in the first issue of DisabilityCare Australia e-news Issue 1, 30 July 2013.
WA comes on board
A long-overdue development in the first week of August was the announcement of Western Australia (WA) coming on board. A two year pilot will commence in WA on 1 July 2014. This involves a DisabilityCare Australia pilot site, commencing from July 2014 in the Perth Hills area for residents living in the local government areas (LGAs) of Swan, Kalamunda and Mundaring, as well as two sites operating under the Western Australian My Way initiative — from July 2014 for people in the Lower South West area and from July 2015 for people in the Cockburn-Kwinana area. This arrangement with WA means that DisabilityCare Australia is one step closer to being a truly national scheme.
Read more in the second issue of DisabilityCare Australia e-news Issue 2, 22 August 2013.
Rural Services
How will people in rural areas fare with the NDIS? Here’s a story from ABC Rural on the provision of services from DisabilityCare Australia for rural people.