NDIS/MyWay trial site info sessions

NDIS and My Way Information Sessions – Service Provider and Participant, Families and Carers

Guildford and Ellenbrook

Representatives from the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) were on the ground in Guildford and Ellenbrook talking to local people and service providers. They were providing information focussed on what providers, participants, families and carers need to do to get ready for the scheme to be launched in the City of Swan, the Shire of Mundaring, and the Shire of Kalamunda in July 2014.

Separate sessions were held for service providers and for participants, families and carers in both locations. Both sessions were reasonably well attended with the service provider sessions attracting the largest audience. However the sessions for service providers in both Ellenbrook and Guildford were largely dominated by providers from the disability sector with mental health service providers few on the ground.

The questions from the audience focussed heavily around eligibility and assessment. Other issues raised included, what constitutes reasonable supports, funds management, costs for specialist assessments, crisis provision, and early intervention for psychosocial disability.

Busselton

Representative from the Mental Health Commission and the Disability Services Commission also facilitated a forum in Busselton providing consumers, carers and their families’ information about the My Way trial. A carer at the forum provided the audience with a comprehensive view of the assessment process and the difference this had made to the supports which were put in place for his two sons which both were autistic. The afternoon session was facilitated for service providers specifically in the Mental Health space. This was an opportunity for Mental Health service providers to ask questions about the My Way process and how will affect services on the ground.

Melbourne

A two day Integrating Mental Health into the NDIS conference was held in Melbourne in November where delegates listened to a range of speakers targeting different parts of the NDIS.

Highlights included presentations by the Mental Health Council of Australia on its draft NDIS and mental health position paper and Ian Moore from Unitingcare West. Ian provided concrete examples of issues which need to be accounted for in the transition to individualised funding. He outlined framework for understanding the interface between mental health and disability, some implications fir changing relationships, maintaining mission in a market environments and workforce capacity building. Below is a link to all of the presentations from the public forum: http://www.slideshare.net/informaoz/tag/mentalndis

MHCA CEO Frank Quinlan also spoke to ABC Radio National’s Fran Kelly about the issues. Listen here: http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/breakfast/2013-12-02/5127996