From the CEO
Yesterday, Monday 29 January, a landmark piece of research, Mind the Gap: NDIS and Psychosocial Disability, conducted by Sydney University on the roll out of the National Disability Insurance Scheme was publicly released. 58 organisations across Australia were participants in the data collection. It paints a very bleak picture for people with a psychiatric disability trying to access the NDIS, and potentially an even bleaker one for those who do not get accepted.
The report notes the Government’s own figures of 690,000 Australians who are living with a severe mental illness, and the fact that only 64,000, less than 10%, of that group will have access to the NDIS. There is little clarity, and to date no information, about what will happen to the remaining 626,000 people as funding is withdrawn from existing programs they can now access to fund the NDIS.
Our advocacy to try and protect those who will miss out, to ensure that they continue to get some level of support and service, is paramount as we enter 2018. We will be doing all we can to ensure that people do not miss out. I should further note that funding which has been allocated in the past for carer support and respite is also being transferred fully to the NDIS, meaning that many consumers will not have a service and we will be back over 10 years in support for carers.
This is an issue that every one of us should take up with our federally elected politicians. I encourage people to have a look at the report at the web site below:
http://sydney.edu.au/health-sciences/cdrp/publications/technical-reports.shtml
and should you feel inclined, write to your elected representative.
On a completely different front, I want to note that Sue Sacker is retiring. Sue has been a powerhouse at Schizophrenia Fellowship/One Door. Sue chaired the Manly Warringah Pittwater Mental Health Task Force which led to the opening of Pioneer Clubhouse in 1994. She joined the staff here in 2000 and has had a lead role in many of our great successes. She will be greatly missed by all here and I wish her the very best in her retirement.
Rob Ramjan AM | CEO
To read more from the January 2018 eNews, click here