Each December the world celebrates the United Nations’ International Day of People with Disability, focusing on inclusivity for people living with all types of disability.
The theme for the 2017 International Day of Disability was “transformation towards a sustainable and resilient society for all.” The fundamental principle of this theme can be summed up as ‘leave no one behind’, empowering people with a disability to be active, thriving contributors of society.
In Australia, the disability system has been drastically overhauled over the last few years with this principle top of mind.
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) officially launched in July 2016 and on 1 July 2017 rolled out statewide across NSW.
The NDIS is changing the way disability services are provided in Australia. It is “person-centred”, meaning that each individual it serves is empowered in choosing their Supports and Providers.
The NDIS understands that everyone’s needs, preferences and aspirations are different. Personalised services help connect people with their community and live an ordinary life.
Administered by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), the last quarterly report showed that almost 120,000 people are now accessing the NDIS.
NDIA CEO Robert de Luca commented that “these results demonstrate the NDIS is supporting Australians with a disability to participate in the community, increase their independence and exercise greater choice and control.”
While there has been some criticism of the rollout, particularly with regards to slow access in states such as South Australia, the NDIS is taking steps to improve participant experience. In October they rolled out a new NDIS pathway which involves face-to-face engagement for every single participant.
As a Registered NDIS Provider in NSW, Zest Care have been at the forefront of the rollout and have helped our clients manage their NDIS plan and coordinate their Supports, as well as providing direct Disability Support. Our dedicated team is looking forward to another year of helping clients reach their NDIS goals.