Page 1808 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 7 June 2006
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service, community and business sectors. In particular, we have recognised the importance of intervening early for people with high and ongoing needs, to ensure they enjoy the benefits of the community along with their peers.
Consistent with this approach, the government is committed to reducing the number of young people with disabilities living in residential aged care facilities, as well as those in hospital and those at risk of inappropriate placement in residential aged care. As Ms MacDonald has already mentioned, the 2006-07 budget makes provision for a further $1.5 million to deliver more appropriate services to young people in residential aged care facilities. As Mr Smyth has acknowledged, this money will be matched by the Australian government. So, together, the two governments will jointly provide more than $3.1 million over four years for the initiative. This follows the commitment by COAG which, including the ACT government, agreed to start to reduce the number of younger people with disabilities living in residential aged care services—an important decision, I think, when you have all the governments in Australia acknowledging that younger people with disabilities living in residential aged care is not appropriate.
The immediate focus here in the ACT will be those under the age of 50. This is in recognition of the impact that such accommodation has on the ability of people with disabilities to have an ordinary life, such as working and being part of the social fabric of our community. Aged care facilities are, as others have said this morning, not designed or adequately resourced to properly provide for the needs of younger people with disabilities.
Most people with disabilities in residential aged care find it very difficult to be part of family life, and this results in significant isolation. Studies indicate that younger people in aged care are often excluded from life in the community. It is also more cost-effective to move young people with disabilities out of health care facilities to more appropriate accommodation. The program, which will commence this year, will initially target people under the age of 50 in residential aged care, as well as those in hospital, or those who are at risk of being placed in residential aged care.
As of November 2005, there were two people under the age of 50 in residential aged care services in the ACT, but there are a further 48 people between the ages of 50 and 65 in residential aged care. All of those are part of this project. The figures do not include ACT citizens located in out-of-state aged care facilities, as the Department of Health and Ageing does not provide that information to the states and territories.
People who have suffered a traumatic brain injury and/or spinal cord injury are among the majority of people with disabilities who require long-term and intensive support. ACT Health figures indicate that each year the ACT will have between three and six new young people who require intensive and long-term support and who are at risk at being inappropriately placed in an aged care facility or remaining in hospital.
While the ACT has the best record of all states and territories in providing appropriate community care for younger people with a disability, the ACT currently does not have sufficient facilities or support services necessary to accommodate these people on a long-term basis outside health or aged care facilities. With demand continuing to grow, it is necessary to create additional capacity in order to prevent inappropriate admissions to residential aged care facilities. This means that a large number of people who would
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