Great news for people with disabilities. Well done Dylan Alcott for being such a great advocate for our community. ... See MoreSee Less
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PLEASE SHARE: BIG Research project on NDIS Providers and their services during COVID-19
"The University of Melbourne is working with the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) on a research project to understand your experiences during COVID-19.
Over March, April, and May 2020, the NDIA made a number of changes to the way their services work to ensure participants could continue to access services and supports.
The survey will help the NDIA understand what participants thought about the changes they made to the NDIS in response to COVID-19 and how they found using telehealth (phone and video) to access allied health services (heath care from people like speech pathologists and physiotherapists).
The NDIA want to better understand what worked for participants to help them shape how these services are provided in the future.
How long will the survey take?
The survey will take about 15-25 minutes to complete.
How do I complete the survey?
You can ask someone you trust, like a family member, friend or support worker, to support you to complete the survey.
You can complete the survey on your computer, smartphone, or tablet. The survey is screen-reader friendly.
Will people know I have completed the survey?
No. The survey is voluntary, anonymous and private.
Your responses will not be shared with anyone outside the research team. Completing the survey is not related to the NDIS planning process, and it won’t have any impact on your NDIS plan, funding or services.
Why is the survey important?
By taking part in the research, you will help us improve the NDIS. The results of the survey will help the NDIA make decisions about:
· Continuing to offer phone or video planning meetings.
· How they do plan reviews.
· How they respond to significant changes in a participants’ circumstances.
The findings will be written in a report for the NDIA. They will also be published in academic journals.
Only group data will be included, and individual participants will not be identifiable.
The research is funded by the Melbourne Disability Institute at the University of Melbourne and the NDIA. The research has ethical approval from the Central Human Research Ethics Committee (CHREC) at the University of Melbourne.
How can I find out more?
Read the full information here: Participant Plain Language Statement
Or type the URL into your browser: go.unimelb.edu.au/k5aj
Can I speak to someone about this project?
Yes.
Dr Belinda Lawford
Email: belinda.lawford@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: (03) 8344 2045
If you would like to discuss this research someone from the NDIA Research Service, please contact:
Dr Renata Morello or Dr Lizzie Smith
Email: researchprojects@ndis.gov.au
If you have any doubt about the survey or its purpose, you can verify this by contacting the NDIA directly on 1800 800 110. ... See MoreSee Less
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What can abuse look like, and how might it start?
Although this talks about adults in accomodation, it could easily be applied to schools and workplaces too. Worth a good look!
(Pic description: Image shows a blue slope with each numbered block of text having arrows that point at lower places down the slope than the one before. image text reads: "The slippery slope of abuse... or one thing leads to another"
1. Choice?
Can't choose what to eat.
Can't choose where to go.
Can't choose my friends.
Can't choose my clothes.
Can't choose my housemates.
2. Boredom
Not much to do here!
Does anyone know what I would rather be doing?
Does anyone care?
3. Punishment
If I shout in public again then I am not allowed out.
If I don't get out of bed then I am not allowed TV.
If I don't tidy up I can't see my boyfriend tonight.
4. Behaviour
I try to escape. No one wonders why.
I can't communicate using their words.
So I break things and refuse to do what they tell me because I am just not happy.
No-one hears me.
5. Abuse
They sometimes call it restraints.
They say it's my fault.
If I wasn't like this, they wouldn't be like that.")
Thanks to Kim Caust for the image description. ... See MoreSee Less
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Breaking news out of the NDIS this morning ...
The NDIA have released the Price Guide and Support Catalogue for 2020-2021.
This guide will be effective from July 1 this year.
As always there is a lot to look at but a few things jump out straight away:
📌 The Fair Work Commission has not yet made a decision on the minimum wage. This will happen sometime in June. This will affect the NDIS prices - so an updated guide should be released sometime before the end of June. So keep an eye out.
📌 Participant plans will automatically be increased to cover the increase in prices. (But note - NOT the 10% loading that has been added due to COVID-19)
📌 There are some new line items to help people with a psychosocial disability, including the introduction of new Psychosocial Recovery Coaches.
📌 There are also some new line items to cover Individualised Living Options (ILO is NDIS-speak for anyone looking to do something innovative or interesting with their accommodation and support).
📌 There are more line items covering people looking to get into work.
📌 The guide has a new look which hopefully makes things easier to find.
The NDIA have also released the results of their annual review into prices. Some of you contributed to this review so may want to take a quick look.
👉 You can find the news item about the guide here - www.ndis.gov.au/news/4835-delivering-ndis-annual-price-review-leads-simpler-more-flexible-scheme
👉 You can find the new price guide and support catalogue here - www.ndis.gov.au/providers/price-guides-and-pricing
👉 You can find the results of the annual price review here - www.ndis.gov.au/providers/price-guides-and-pricing/annual-price-review
👉 UPDATE: We have a quick explainer on our website. We have waded through the detail so you don't have to - everyaustraliancounts.com.au/ndis-prices-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/
#NDISMakeItWork
(Image description: A red rectangle with the words "Breaking News" in white capital letters. Underneath the words you can see the Every Australian Counts logo and the words "NDIS: Make It Work) ... See MoreSee Less
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