CARERS SA hosted a regional forum at Mount Gambier City Hall yesterday to provide people with a disability, their families and carers with practical information ahead of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) rollout next month.
The rollout of the NDIS is the biggest social reform since Medicare, introducing a new way of providing disability services that will give people with a disability more choice about the support they receive.
More than 32,000 South Australians will receive services under the full scheme, up from around 17,000 pre-NDIS.
Carers SA chief executive David Militz said the information session would prepare eligible participants for their first planning conversation.
“The NDIS will be rolled out in the Limestone Coast on October 1, so our main aim today is to help carers and families navigate the NDIS process,” Mr Militz said.
“Carers SA will not deliver any services within the scheme, as the NDIS is focused on the person with the disability, whereas we focus on the unpaid family or carer.
“Often presenters at these information sessions use a lot of jargon and it can be overwhelming, so today we will keep it real, simplify the messages and give practical examples.”
Carers SA NDIS project manager Lis Burtnik explained how to prepare a carers statement, a document used to inform each individual NDIS plan.
“The carer statement is about the level of care you provide and how sustainable that is,” Ms Burtnik said.
“You need to outline what it would take to support your son or daughter or family member with a disability if you weren’t there – because you can’t keep doing it forever.”
Ms Burtnik said the “bureaucratic process” was often “absolutely daunting” and encouraged carers and families to attend as many information sessions as possible.
“The NDIS website is a really valuable resource and it’s so important you understand what the scheme means and what the implications are,” she said.
Mr Militz said Carers SA had trained its staff to assist carers confused by the NDIS application process.
“Our local staff understand and have a good handle on NDIS, so when carers call they can help them through the process,” he said.
Attendees heard personal accounts from carers Peter Lucas and Angela Neale before a carer advisory group discussion and question and answer panel.
South East HomeCare+ manager Krys Howard said it was important for carers to be prepared before attending a first meeting with NDIS planners.
“I’ve been in this role for over 16 years and I’ve seen many systems come and go in disability sector in that time,”
“I can’t overstate how important it is to be prepared and armed with information.”
Visit www.ndis.gov.au or call the NDIS contact centre 1800 800 110 for further information.
