DISABILITY PLAN

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Commonwealth-State Disability Agreement was signed at the Premier's Conference in July 1991. Under the agreement the Commonwealth Government takes responsibility for all employment services for people with disabilities. The State Government takes responsibility for most other services including accommodation services. The States agreed to each pass an Act of Parliament similar to the Commonwealth Services Act.

The NSW Disability Services Act came into force on 8 April, 1993. The Act is designed to promote the provision of services which will enable people with disabilities to maximise their potential, further their integration into the community and achieve positive outcomes, including increased independence and employment opportunities.

Under Section 9 of the Act, Area Health services are required to prepare and implement publicly available Disability Plans. Regular reports on the implementation of plans are required.

Section 5 of the Act defines disability as any condition:

"that is attributable to an intellectual, psychiatric, sensory, physical or like impairment or to a combination of such impairments

and that is permanent or is likely to be permanent;

and that results in: significant reduced capacity in one or more major life activities, such as communication, learning, mobility, decision making or self-care; and the need for support, whether or not of an ongoing nature"

PLANNING ISSUES IN THE PROVISION OF DISABILITY SERVICES

Disability Direction: Tomorrow's Blueprint, The NSW Government Disability Strategic Plan identifies three Key Result Areas for which Public Authorities should develop strategies to address the planning issues in the provision of disability services. The three Key Result Areas to be addressed by the plan are:

* Access- including physical access, access by people with sensory and intellectual disability and access by people with other forms of disability to all health services and to information about health's services. The plan will address means of adapting services so that people with disabilities are not disadvantaged in their use of services.

* Disability Specific Services - services within the health system which specifically provide for people with disabilities. This includes

- therapy services provided predominantly to people with disabilities, mental health services, rehabilitation, palliative care, general hospitals such as sight and hearing clinics and major components of community health services.

- disability support services provided by Health such as group homes, transport, PAPD, long-term care.

Strategies to address means of promoting access to specific services as well as reflecting the improvement of access to mainstream services will also be included in the plan.

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