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NDIS PARTICIPANTS TO ACCESS FREE ASSESSMENTS AS PART OF PILOT

  NDIS Participants will have the opportunity to experience free independent assessments and provide feedback as part of a voluntary NDIA pilot resuming in late October.   The pilot, postponed in March due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, will enable the Agency to make sure Independent Assessments meet the needs of a diverse range of NDIS participants, when they start in 2021.  Assessments delivered under the pilot will not be used for decisions in regards to NDIS Participants current plans or funding. However, participants of the pilot will receive a copy of their assessment and they can choose to share it with their treating heath care professional, or use at their next scheduled review.  The NDIA announced free Independent Assessments in August as part of the NDIS Service Improvement Plan. The Plan will deliver 51 changes to improve the NDIS experience for participants, their families and carers. “This pilot will provide an important opportunity for participants to experience firs

DELIVERING NDIS SERVICES AND SUPPORT THROUGH UNPRECEDENTED TIMES

  The Australian Government remains committed to achieving the best outcomes for all Australians and businesses by delivering NDIS services and support to those in need as part of our Economic Recovery Plan for Australia. Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme and Government Services, Stuart Robert, said this commitment is reflected in the 2020-21 Budget, which supports the Government’s tireless work in sustaining and improving the services provided to Australians. Funding for the National Disability Insurance Scheme ( NDIS ) is guaranteed. The Australian Government is providing a further $3.9 billion to the NDIS. This extra funding ensures Australians eligible for the NDIS have access to the supports they need now and into the future. The Government is delivering on the promise of the NDIS, by providing people with disability true choice and control, and ensuring all decisions about a person’s eligibility for the scheme and their plans are made in an objective,

WHY PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY ARE AT ‘RISK-GROUP’ DURING COVID-19

  Australians with disability are at heightened risk during COVID-19 because many have other health conditions (for example, problems breathing, heart disease, diabetes). This makes them more prone to be sicker or die if they become infected. People with disability are also quite likely to be poorer, unemployed and socially isolated which make them more likely to experience poor health outcomes during the pandemic. Many people with disability, particularly those with complex needs, require personal support, which puts them in close contact with other people. Different workers will come through residential disability care settings, sometimes moving between multiple homes and services, just as in aged care. The potential for coronavirus spread is also high because some residents may have difficulties with physical distancing and personal hygiene. They may have trouble understanding public health recommendations and/or have behavioural or sensory issues that make these recommenda

HOW COVID-19 HAS CHANGED THE AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY LIFESTYLE

  COVID-19 has turned Australia into a nation of screen addicts sustained by snacks and lollies as the overwhelming majority of us obey restrictions on meeting friends and going out. Stuck at home without sport to watch, bars to drink at or live music to enjoy, Australians turned to baking, gardening, puzzles and household chores as well as shouldering the burden of educating children not able to attend school. From working at home to walking the dog, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected women’s lives more than men, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Surveys of households from March to May found women were more likely than men to have increased their consumption of fruit and vegetables, snack foods, alcohol and vitamins during the pandemic, while men ate more takeaway meals. Almost half of people surveyed were working from home (56 per cent of women compared to 38 per cent of men), while 58 per cent reported spending more time watching television or staring at sc