Closing time: 05. 00 Pm, 24 March 2017

PART TWO

SPECIFICATIONS

Strategies to Assist People with Disability Engage with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)

1. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

1.1 Purpose:

The purpose of this project (Project 4) is to assist people with disability to engage with the NDIS.

Some people with disability require additional consideration by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) and the Tasmanian Government to ensure they are identified and their needs addressed during transition to the NDIS. This is especially true as state funding for disability supports ends and NDIS funding starts. Additional support will be required to enable people in this cohort to successfully engage with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

These individuals often have specific and/or complex needs that are not readily met within the current service system. They can experience difficulties engaging with mainstream and support services in a positive way and may not actively seek out the NDIS, even if eligible.

People in this cohort can easily fall through existing service gaps often presenting with exceptional or challenging needs. They may have lived experienced of one or more of the following:

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  homelessness, transience, sleeping rough
  
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  living in unstable accommodation (e.g. private boarding houses, caravans)
  
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  mental health (diagnosed or undiagnosed)
  
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  drug and/or alcohol dependency
  
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  involvement with the criminal justice system
  
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  repeat admissions to hospital and high use of emergency care
  
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  behaviours of concern such as risk of harm to self or others
  
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  victims of violence or crime
  
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  social isolation, lack of family or other support networks
  
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  low literacy
  
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  young adults who as children were involved with and/or receiving services from Child Protection Services
  
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  have guardianship and/or administration orders in place
  

Cohorts of people with specific or complex requirements have been identified in the Tasmanian Operational Plan (Part 2 Administration & Service Delivery Operating model – Element 15: Participants/cohorts with specific or complex requirements). It is estimated that there are up to 130 people in Tasmania who fall into this group, although there may be many more who are not yet known to the disability, housing or mental health sectors. Some may currently be in receipt of state disability supports but have either chosen not to, be unable to or do not feel confident about engaging with the NDIS.

Most of the identified clients are expected to be eligible for individual NDIS plans. Those that aren’t can receive ILC support to build their capability and improve community participation and inclusion. Providing support through ILC activities will be effective in preventing people from moving into individual funding over time.

Current models of support do not adequately meet the needs of this cohort, who need more person-centred, innovative and active support to become engaged with the NDIS. Development and implementation of a range of engagement strategies that identify, support and assist people with disability in this cohort will enhance their capacity to engage and remain engaged with the NDIS.

Active multi-agency linkages with, for example: mental health; housing; alcohol and drug services; children and youth services and justice will be required to assist these people to successfully transition. This includes strategies such as assertive outreach to reach hard to engage individuals.

Engagement with NDIS will optimise social and economic independence and full participation for people with disability and give them greater choice and control over their lives. In increasing the capacity of ‘hard to engage’ Tasmanians with disability to engage with the NDIS they are more likely to become active participants who purchase supports that have a positive impact on their lives and assist in realising personal aspirations.

This project will also build disability sector capacity and service provider readiness by encouraging innovation in the way supports are accessed for this group, such as cross-sector partnerships with mental health and/or homelessness organisations, leading to more diversity of support providers.

Similar work has commenced in South Australia’s (SA) Department for Communities and Social inclusion through their SDF project: Preparing participants who are difficult to engage. It is expected that this project will draw from and build on the work in SA adding to its national applicability into the future.