Sunday, December 19, 2010

WARRINGAH DISABILITY NEWSLETTER No 244 - 16/12/10

The newsletter starts with a discobility, special Abba concert, sailing events, a kindergarten camp, free TAFE accredited art and music courses and the Australian National Paralympic Football team.  Carers need to contact RIAP for flexible respite from 17 January onward.  There are three holiday programs for siblings of children with disabilities, a free trial of Kindermusik, and vacancies for children with disabilities in the host program of Northern Beaches Interchange.  Young adults with Aspergers can apply for a TAFE  course starting in January 2011.

Financial issues include an online donation facility for Accessible Arts, scholarships from ParaQuad NSW and Woolworths, toy catalogue as fundraiser for Cubby House Toy Library, and changes in Centrelink’s definition of independence for youth allowance or ABSTUDY.  Resources include services for deafblindness, alcohol and drug addiction, breast cancer survivors; an accessible fishing company; ideas for activities at several websites;  a homeopathic book;  lawnmowing assistance;  apprenticeship / traineeship information.  Your participation would be welcomed as volunteers for Artability, your opinion on the Collaroy Accessibility Tourism Precinct, and selection for the Australian Family Child Care Awards.

Workshops and meetings address basic Makaton, dementia, father inclusive practice, presentation skills, while conferences focus on social enterprises, parenting, inclusive communities, autism and employment.  There is also a position as Social Support Worker.

Your comments and suggestions are welcome, as always!  The last newsletter of 2010 will appear on Thursday 23 December, while the first of 2011 will be sent on 7 January.

Regards, Marjorie Janz, Disability Information Officer, Warringah Council.
Phone 9942 2686, fax 9942 2371.  Also janzm@warringah.nsw.gov.au.  

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

How do political and government leaders respond to our campaign priorities?

Since our last campaign update we have met with Minister, Peter Primrose, Shadow Minister, Andrew Constance and senior staff of Ageing Disability and Home Care to clarify their intentions and to argue the key requirements of the Self Directed Supports Campaign.

All meetings were very positive. The Minister and senior ADHC staff are genuinely committed to enabling anyone receiving disability services to have the option on having an individualised option by 30 June 2014. The Shadow Minister affirmed the Coalition commitment to offer choice between the current case management model and that of a more personalised service approach in which funding packages enable individuals to direct the services that they wish to have and when.”
All stressed that consultation will be a vital part of implementation and ADHC intends to start engagement prior to the election in March.
We at Family Advocacy and In Control Australia believe that there is bipartisan political support for the general direction of a self directed approach. We are mindful however that ‘the devil is in the detail’ and that we will seek to be proactively involved and will monitor developments closely, particularly in relation to our campaign priorities, summarized below.
Priority 1: Providing all existing and new users of government and non government disability services the opportunity to direct their own support.
We will be looking to ensure that:
·         people who want control over their resources have the opportunity at the earliest time;
·         individualised portable funding arrangements translate into choice, voice and control.
Priority 2: Providing decision making support that is independent of government and service providers. We will be working to ensure that:
  • the ‘decision making resources’ are independent of government and service providers, able to be accessed easily and give the person with disability control. 
Priority 3: Transition support for services
We will be working to ensure that:
·          the voices of people with disability and families are heard in the process of service transformation.
Priority 4: Administrative processes consistent with a self directed approach.
We will be working to ensure that:
  • the Stronger Together goal of “choice, portability and flexibility in funding and supports” means that people have control over how the money is used;
  • government and service provider processes do not intrude into people’s lives; and
  • there is a minimum of bureaucracy and paperwork.
Next Steps
It is important to thank the Leader of the Opposition, Barry O’Farrell for his support for Stronger Together funding and to consolidate his support for a self directed approach.
We suggest that you write/email him.
  • Start by thanking him for the Coalition commitment to funding for Stronger Together 2 and his commitment to a more personalized approach to service delivery.
  • Tell him about your family and the way in which current service provision restricts opportunities.
  • Tell him what you might do if you had control over the resources allocated for the support of your family member with disability.
  • Finish by letting him know that people will need help with information, planning, advocacy, and support coordination in order to enjoy the benefits of personalized self directed support, and that it is critical that the assistance is independent of government and service providers.
Leader of the Opposition
Parliament House
Macquarie Street SYDNEY NSW 2000
We will be in touch early in 2011
Have a safe and good holiday season

Belinda Epstein-Frisch AM
Family Advocacy

For information about Self Directed Supports: A NSW Campaign

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Self Directed Supports: a NSW campaign for people with Disability

Dr. Mark Clayton has asked all families to take action to help make self directed funding and management a reality for our disabled family members. Please read and take action.
A self-directed approach enables the person with disability, or those authorised to work on their behalf, to have control of the funds that are allocated to her or him.  These in turn are used to purchase supports that are truly tailored to the individual’s needs.

KEY QUESTIONS FOR SUNNYFIELD
·         Do we believe people with disability are entitled to live an ordinary valued life?
Of course we do.

·         Do we believe people should have highly personalised assistance? (support that they say they need)
Yes we do as that is one of the hallmarks of being truly person centred.

·         Do we believe that we need to transition our services in support of this?
Yes.  For the people we support and their families to achieve self direction should they choose this, there will need to be changes to the way our current service provision operates.

Sunnyfield is committed to the development of a self-directed approach.  We recognise that this new approach to the way people can obtain services is totally consistent with a person centred approach but accept that the way forward may be complex and will take time for individuals and families to understand and accept as well as for Sunnyfield to implement.  A self-directed approach is important to achieving a person centred life as it transfers power and control to the people we support and their carers and families.
Show your support for this:
1.                   Numbers do count so…  Join the campaign by registering your support
on line www.family-advocacy.com/
by post Family Advocacy PO Box 502 Epping 1710
by phone             02 9869 0866, 1800 620 588
2.                   Take Action
Email / write to the Premier or to the Leader of the Opposition.  Ask them to direct ADHC to provide self directed options to all existing and new clients of ADHC and non government services
Level 40 Governor Macquarie Tower
1 Farrer Place SYDNEY NSW 2000

Leader of the Opposition
Parliament House
Macquarie Street
SYDNEY
NSW 2000

Does Stronger Together deliver?

Premier Kristina Keneally launched Stronger Together stage 2 today providing $2.02billion in funding increases over the five years to 2015/16. This is in addition to the $2.02 billion that continues to fund existing service provision.
This is a welcome substantial increase in funding.
Has Stronger Together addressed our priorities?
Priority 1
Provide all existing and new users of government and non government disability services the opportunity to direct their own support, including self managed options, direct payment, use of a financial intermediary and the ability to move to a different service of their choice.
Stronger Together
“Individualised funding arrangements will become available from 2011/2012 and by the end of 2013/14, anyone receiving disability services will have the option of using an individualised and portable funding arrangement. (This includes funding in day programs and congregate accommodation services.) The policy settings to achieve this goal will be developed in consultation with people with a disability and their families and carers, service providers, peaks and other stakeholders.”(p21)
Our comment
It is great to see a strong commitment with timelines for everyone to have individualised and portable funding arrangements. Whilst we understand that transformation takes time, we will be looking to see that:
  • people who want control over their resources have the opportunity at the earliest point in time;
  • individualised portable funding arrangements translate into choice, voice and control.
Priority 2
Provide assistance to people to direct their own support allowing them to develop their knowledge and skills. The assistance must be independent of government and service providers.
Stronger Together
“Decision making resources (such as information, planning, advocacy, case management, service brokers and support coordination) will be expanded by $141.2m over the next 5 years to assist individuals, their families and carers to identify needs and goals, plan their service requirements, access specialist disability services and assist with access to mainstream services.” (p21)
Our comment
Decision making resources are important and welcomed. We need to ensure the ‘decision making resources’ are independent of government and service providers, able to be accessed easily and give the person with disability control.
Priority 3
Provide transition support for services.
Stronger Together
“The Sector Development Plan released in June 2010 embraces the shift to person centredness and commits the provider sector to the development required to supply services in a person and family-centred way” (p21)
“Continue to support the development of workforce and industry capacity through training and development initiatives of $5m per year ($25m over 5 years) (p27)
Our comment
Services need significant assistance so that they can support people to direct their own support. The voices of people with disability and families need to be heard in the process of service transformation.
 Priority 4
Amalgamate all disability service program areas into a single funding program (as occurred in Victoria) and realign ADHC processes consistent with a set of principles for a self directed approach.
Stronger Together
Stronger Together is silent on the administrative arrangements that will be put in place to facilitate the commitment that by the end of 2013/14, anyone receiving disability services will have the option of using an individualised and portable funding arrangement.
Our comment
The Stronger Together goal of “choice, portability and flexibility in funding and supports” must liberate people from the constraints of program silos and the requirement to use service providers. True choice, flexibility and portability means people have control over how the money is used.
The backroom strategies of government are of little concern to people with disability and families. The critical feature and our goal is to ensure that government and service provider processes do not intrude into people’s lives and that there is a minimum of bureaucracy and paperwork.
 Other key information about Stronger Together
Supported Living Fund
Stronger Together 2 has committed to introduce 100 Supported Living Fund packages in 2011/12, 2012/13 and 2013/i4 (300 in total - $60m over 5 years)
Our comment
This is an excellent start. For the first time in decades, people not in crisis will have access to government funding to enable men and women with disability to have a home of their own using paid support to complement the contribution of family and friends.
 Closure of larger residential centres
All large residential centres will be closed by 2017/18
Our comment
This decision is truly welcomed.  We need to ensure that the self directed opportunities of Stronger Together 2 are available as people leave large residential centres.
Next steps
Next week we are meeting with Minister, Peter Primrose and senior staff of Ageing Disability and Home Care to clarify their intentions and to argue the key requirements of the Self Directed Supports Campaign.
We will keep you posted.

Belinda Epstein-Frisch AM
Family Advocacy

NSW LIBERALS & NATIONALS TO DELIVER DISABILITY FUNDING

 Friday 3 December 2010 
  
A NSW Liberals & Nationals Government will provide $2 billion in growth funding for disability services over the next five years and in doing so deliver the Stronger Together disability services plan, NSW Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell and Shadow Minister for Disability Services Andrew Constance announced today.

WARRINGAH DISABILITY NEWSLETTER No 243 - 3/12/10

The newsletter starts with a Family Fun Day, Discobility in Mosman, Christmas party, as well as Ability Counts for kids, and Paralympic football recruitment.  There are also a circus spectacular, and a game with the Sydney Kings against the New Zealand Breakers.  Programs for carers include an Elf competition for young carers, respite camps for teens with intellectual disability, and a call for a family with twins or triplets with autism to link with similar families.

There are scholarships for wheelchair users, and a fundraising concert for the Special Olympics.  Resources include manuals and workbooks for kids and teens with special needs, visual systems to promote play, the discounted 9th edition of Way Ahead, and Vodcasts on closing institutions in NSW.  Your participation is invited as committee members for Special Olympics at state and regional levels, two surveys, and your feedback on the Collaroy Accessibility Tourism Precinct.

Workshops and meetings address group work solutions, circles of support, Cert IV in mental health training, discounted training in community sector management, and 20 positions for direct support staff at Smithfield.

Your comments and suggestions are welcome, as always!  The next newsletter will appear on Friday 17 December.

Regards, Marjorie Janz, Disability Information Officer, Warringah Council.
Phone 9942 2686, fax 9942 2371.  Also janzm@warringah.nsw.gov.au.  

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Welcome to stage 2 of the campaign for a better life for people with disability

Self Directed Supports: A NSW Campaign that aims to give people control of their support and their life
Tomorrow, 3 December, is International Day of People with Disability, surely the perfect opportunity for Premier Keneally to announce Stronger Together 2.
Will it fulfill our vision for people with disability and their families to have as much choice and control in their lives as other people?
The NSW election provides an opportunity for our political leaders to commit to giving people with disability and their families greater control over their lives. In leading this campaign, Family Advocacy and In Control Australia are asking political parties to:
  1. Provide all existing and new users of government and non government disability services the opportunity to direct their own support, including self managed options, direct payment, use of a financial intermediary and the ability to move to a different service of their choice.
  2. Provide assistance to people to direct their own support allowing them to develop their knowledge and skills. The assistance must be independent of government and service providers.
  3. Provide transition support for services.
  4. Amalgamate all disability service program areas into a single funding program (as occurred in Victoria) and realign ADHC processes consistent with a set of principles for a self directed approach.
This is the criteria by which we will judge Stronger Together. We will let you know our verdict.
What can you do?
Read our campaign statement (if you have trouble opening the pdf let us know)
AND    Join us in enabling people with disability and their families to have control of their support and their lives.


Belinda Epstein-Frisch AM
Family Advocacy