“Overwhelmed.” That is how one local disability advocate has described many local residents as the region prepares for the biggest change to the disability system in decades.
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The comments came ahead of the 1 May introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
Interchange Loddon Mallee’s Rozita Yaganegi is a NDIS advocate and has been helping people living with disabilities secure funding.
“A lot of people are walking through the door and saying ‘what do I do? Where do I start?’” she said.
“They don’t have that understanding. There’s just too much information out there.”
As well as the National Disability Insurance Agency, many disability service providers were providing advice online and through workshops and information sessions.
Ms Yaganegi said some of those approaching her for help were not tech savvy and so struggled to sort through information online.
Others lacked the skills to research on their own.
“It’s quite unreasonable. It’s a huge demand on (those) families,” she said.
By 2020 the NDIS will support about 5300 people with disabilities in the Loddon area according to Intereach, the group rolling out the scheme locally.
It has been touted as a better funded system giving participants more flexibility and control. Under the new system people with disabilities would have individually tailored and funded support plans.
Intereach executive director Danielle Scoullar acknowledged moving to a new scheme could make people anxious or a little confused.
“Part of what we are here to do is help people go through that journey with as much information as possible,” she said.
“If they do look on the (NDIS) website it can be quite overwhelming. What we try to do when we talk to people or speak at information sessions is try to give them the information that is most relevant to them, their needs and plans,” she said.
An NDIS spokeswoman said a person’s first 12 month plan was the start of a lifelong relationship which would give people the chance to see what was working and what else might be needed.
“If a person’s circumstances or needs change they can talk to the NDIA about potentially changing their plan,” she said.
While the NDIS would be a big change, the spokeswoman said there was lots things people with disabilities could do to get ready including
- Thinking about their life now, their current informal and formal supports, and what is working and what might need to change.
- Identifying their strengths, interests, challenges and considering their goals or what they might want to achieve.
- Writing things down and collecting any reports, assessments or information that might be helpful.
Intereach and the NDIA planned transition people onto the scheme over nine months, so people’s plans would not change overnight, Ms Scoullar said.
Tom O'Callaghan
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
