Page 393 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 14 February 2017
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The last Disability ACT group homes transitioned to a non-government provider on 5 January this year, almost six months ahead of schedule. Residents, families and guardians were able to choose a non-government provider to support the needs of each group home. As a result of the government’s decision to exit group homes we have seen a number of new providers enter the ACT market. The previous 53 ACT government group homes are now being supported by 14 non-government providers.
Of course the transition of group homes has also meant that the staff who supported ACT government clients also have made transitions. Many have remained in the sector, with some of these staff remaining in the same group home supporting the same residents they have cared for for many years. I would like to take this opportunity once again to thank the staff of Therapy ACT and Disability ACT who have managed this transition so smoothly.
MS ORR: Minister, how is the government maintaining oversight of disability services as the NDIS is rolled out?
MS STEPHEN-SMITH: I would particularly like to thank Ms Orr for this question. This question of quality and safeguards was one of the first matters I raised with the directorate on becoming minister. In talking about disability services and choice and control, we are talking about services that are purchased by many highly capable people with a disability who are quite able to make their own decisions about service providers. But we are also talking about vulnerable people who have never been empowered before to make such choices and for whom the transition to choice and control may be confronting.
I am pleased, although not surprised, to say the ACT government prepared well for the NDIS rollout by amending the Disability Services Act 1991 to ensure quality and oversight were maintained during the trial period. These amendments commenced on 1 July 2014. Among other things, the Human Services Registrar was established to implement quality and safeguarding arrangements, and that will continue until the national quality and safeguarding framework has been fully implemented.
The Human Services Registrar assesses providers’ compliance with the Disability Services Act requirements for both new providers seeking to register with the National Disability Insurance Agency in the ACT and currently funded providers who are seeking to expand their service delivery.
The Human Services Registrar assesses compliance with the standards and makes a recommendation to the NDIA, but does not make the final decision. There are issues around this that I have raised with the federal minister regarding some glitches in the system, and I am pleased to say those are being worked out.
The national quality and safeguarding framework which was announced by COAG in January 2017 is expected to be fully operational by 2018. Its intention is to underpin the NDIS with a nationally consistent quality and safeguards framework. The ACT has been actively involved in its development.
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