The Queensland Government has just released it Disability Action Plan to rolled out over the next five years, as we move towards the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme which will bring all services for people with disabilities under on national banner. For the first time the same eligibility cirtera and the same rules will apply to all Australians living with disabilities. To check your eligibility under the National Disability Insurance scheme you should use the accessibility checker on their website.
This is the single biggest change in disability sector since its introduction. Traditionally the sector has been underfunded and fragmented. In many areas in Queensland receiving support has been liked to winning lotto. Packages seem to be awarded without rhythm or reason.
People and families were given little choice or directions over their own lives. Once families secured support funding the child living with a disability there was very limited freedom and funding packages were tied to a geographical region, determining where people could live in come instances and which services people could access.
The most important change clients, families, caregivers, services and support workers need to understand is that from today we are moving gradually away from a system where most things for people with disabilities were decided from them by a government employee who didn't know them into an open market place which will be more transparent, create more opportunities, employ more support and more jobs.
Where services are currently operated by the Queensland State Government these services will be sold to private corporations or absorbed into the structure of the National Disability Insurance Scheme by the end of 2019. Services currently operate under the not for profit disability sector will be in the main unaffected by this shift.
That being said, the sector will now be govern by market place principles where consumers have the buying power and the ability to chooses service providers and the types of services they want to access. Those offering support services such as personal care, domestic assistance, community support, respite, and life skills programs, will now need to operate as a business to attract the customer base.
It is now for people and their families living with disabilities to determine the ways in which they want to be supported, when they want to be support, and how often they want to be supported. For service providers the choice is about how to better market the service they provide or whether the want to take this opportunity to transform and diversify you can offer any service you want, but it is not what your customer wants . . . the future is dim.
As individual and families move towards making informed choices about their futures, the Queensland government has release seven areas of priorities. As we work towards the introduction of the NDIS in Queensland in 2016.
Historic changes and closer of government departments is not a push of the button. We need to change and adapt our thinking to the changing climate and make sure every one in the community - all Australians understand how the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme will affect them, their family, their workplace, and the community as a whole.
The only way to ensure a successful transition to the National Disability Insurance Scheme is to get our house in order now.
The Queensland Governments priorities as we walk towards is introduction are:-
People and families were given little choice or directions over their own lives. Once families secured support funding the child living with a disability there was very limited freedom and funding packages were tied to a geographical region, determining where people could live in come instances and which services people could access.
The most important change clients, families, caregivers, services and support workers need to understand is that from today we are moving gradually away from a system where most things for people with disabilities were decided from them by a government employee who didn't know them into an open market place which will be more transparent, create more opportunities, employ more support and more jobs.
Where services are currently operated by the Queensland State Government these services will be sold to private corporations or absorbed into the structure of the National Disability Insurance Scheme by the end of 2019. Services currently operate under the not for profit disability sector will be in the main unaffected by this shift.
That being said, the sector will now be govern by market place principles where consumers have the buying power and the ability to chooses service providers and the types of services they want to access. Those offering support services such as personal care, domestic assistance, community support, respite, and life skills programs, will now need to operate as a business to attract the customer base.
It is now for people and their families living with disabilities to determine the ways in which they want to be supported, when they want to be support, and how often they want to be supported. For service providers the choice is about how to better market the service they provide or whether the want to take this opportunity to transform and diversify you can offer any service you want, but it is not what your customer wants . . . the future is dim.
As individual and families move towards making informed choices about their futures, the Queensland government has release seven areas of priorities. As we work towards the introduction of the NDIS in Queensland in 2016.
Historic changes and closer of government departments is not a push of the button. We need to change and adapt our thinking to the changing climate and make sure every one in the community - all Australians understand how the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme will affect them, their family, their workplace, and the community as a whole.
The only way to ensure a successful transition to the National Disability Insurance Scheme is to get our house in order now.
The Queensland Governments priorities as we walk towards is introduction are:-
- Support people living with disabilities and communities to be informed and confident in understanding in what the NDIS means for them.
- Support people with disabilities, their families and carers to exercise choice and take up new opportunities.
- Support non-government disability support services to operate competitive in a open market environment
- Develop a strong skills based workforce. Services need to employ professional support workers and paid award rates. They are now in the customer service industry. Support workers are a service sale point. People living with disability deserve quality support.
- Prepare for Queensland Government Departments to transition disability funding and services to the National Disability Insurance Scheme peak body.
- Enhance mainstream services and facilitate to enhance geniune choice and participation in all areas. Including education, employment, justice system. health and housing.
- Promote participation in the community.
The changes we seek to create not only turn the tables on the disability support sector but will have an impact on all levels of society and the communities in which we live.
It is challenge the way we provide education and the ways we teach, it will challenge our transport system and demand people living with disabilities can and do use public transport; It will challenge and demand the workplaces become accessible to all Australian - looking at things such as physical access, visual access, IT access, sensory access and those with behavioural challenges. It will challenge and demand reform to our legal system, beginning will challenging the right for those with intellectual disabilities to have the same citizen rights as all Australian and an end to automatic disqualification from voting, and access to the justice system. Lack of access to the justice system has allow systemic abuse of people with intellectual disabilities and dis-empowerment. We need to find was to make our justice system accessible;e and present the law and political climate in a way that everyone gains and understanding and is truly protected and we urgently need to address the lack of accessible accommodation and the living conditions of young people living in nursing homes.
Any one who is still tempered to think this is a mere changing in funding arrangement is in for a rude awakening. .
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