scholarly journals The Duplicity of Choice and Empowerment: Disability Rights Diluted in Australia’s Policies on Assistive Technology

Societies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 39
Author(s):  
Emily J Steel
Keyword(s):  
Assistive Technology ◽  
Critical Analysis ◽  
Disability Insurance ◽  
Disability Services ◽  
Disability Rights ◽  
Insurance Scheme ◽  
Interpretive Policy Analysis ◽  
Economic Discourse ◽  
To Come ◽  
Professional Power

The combination of choice as a contested concept and its increasing adoption as a policy principle necessitates a critical analysis of its interpretation within Australia’s reforms to disability services. While choice may appear to be an abstract and flexible principle in policy, its operationalization in practice tends to come with conditions. This paper investigates the interpretation of choice in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), via an interpretive policy analysis of assistive technology (AT) provision. Analysis of policy artefacts reveals a diminishing influence of disability rights in favor of an economic discourse, and contradictory assumptions about choice in the implementation of legislation. The language of choice and empowerment masks the relegation of the presumption of capacity to instead perpetuate professional power in determining access to resources by people with disability.

scholarly journals The Implementation of the NDIS: Who Wins, Who Loses?

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 25-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenny Green ◽  
Jane Mears
Keyword(s):  
Paradigm Shift ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Disability Insurance ◽  
Government Funding ◽  
Disability Rights ◽  
Insurance Scheme ◽  
Major Step ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Not For Profit ◽  
People With Disability

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a major paradigm shift in funding and support for people with disability in Australia. It is a person centered model that has at its core a change in government funding away from service providers direct to individuals with disability. In principle it is heralded as a major step forward in disability rights. Nonetheless, the implementation poses threats as well as benefits. This paper outlines potential threats or risks from the perspective of not-for-profit organisations, workers in the sector and most importantly people with disability.  It draws on a range of recent reports on the sector, person centered models of funding and care, the NDIS and past experience. Its purpose is to forewarn the major issues so that implementers can be forearmed. 

scholarly journals Equity in Access: A Mixed Methods Exploration of the National Disability Insurance Scheme Access Program for the Kimberley Region, Western Australia

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (17) ◽  
pp. 8907
Author(s):  
Caitlyn S. White ◽  
Erica Spry ◽  
Emma Griffiths ◽  
Emma Carlin
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Program Implementation ◽  
Aboriginal People ◽  
Disability Insurance ◽  
Disability Services ◽  
Insurance Scheme ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Aboriginal Community ◽  
Primary Disability ◽  
Access Program

This study explored the process and early outcomes of work undertaken by a program to increase Aboriginal people’s awareness of, and access to, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). This ‘Access Program’ was implemented through the Aboriginal Community Controlled Sector in the remote Kimberley region of Western Australia. Access Program staff were interviewed to explore the strengths, challenges, and future directions of the program. The demographics, primary disability types, and NDIS access outcomes for clients who engaged with the program in the first 12 months of its implementation have been described. The Access Program engaged with 373 clients during the study period and assisted 118 of these to achieve access to the NDIS. The program was reported as successful by staff in its aim of connecting eligible people with the NDIS. Vital to this success was program implementation by the Aboriginal Community Controlled Sector. Staff in these organisations held community trust, provided culturally appropriate services, and utilised strengths-based approaches to overcome barriers that have historically hindered Aboriginal people’s engagement with disability services. Our results demonstrate the Access Program is a successful start in increasing awareness of, and access to, the NDIS for Aboriginal people in the Kimberley region. Much work remains to assist the large number of Aboriginal people in the Kimberley region believed to be eligible for NDIS support who are yet to achieve access.

Burdensome Administration and Its Risks: Competing Logics in Policy Implementation

2020 ◽  
Vol 52 (9) ◽  
pp. 1362-1381 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gemma Carey ◽  
Helen Dickinson ◽  
Eleanor Malbon ◽  
Megan Weier ◽  
Gordon Duff
Keyword(s):  
Policy Implementation ◽  
Service Sector ◽  
Policy Reform ◽  
Disability Insurance ◽  
System Change ◽  
Disability Services ◽  
Financial Sustainability ◽  
Insurance Scheme ◽  
Social Policy Reform ◽  
The Impact

Australia is currently undergoing significant social policy reform under the introduction of a personalized scheme for disability services: the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). This article explores the growing administrative burdens placed on disability providers operating under the new scheme, using an Australia-wide survey of the disability sector. The 2018 National Disability Services survey of the disability sector reveals that administrative burden is the most commented on challenge for providers. Moreover, providers linked this burden to questions concerning their financial sustainability and ability to continue to offer services within the NDIS. In this article, we explore the sources of these administrative burdens and their relationships with the institutional logics at play in the NDIS. In addition to documenting the impact of system change on the Australian disability service sector, this article raises questions regarding institutional hybridity within personalization schemes more broadly and whether they are a source of tension, innovation, or both.

scholarly journals How well does the National Disability Insurance Scheme respond to the issues challenging Indigenous people with disability?

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 49-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phuong Lan Do
Keyword(s):  
Indigenous People ◽  
Disability Insurance ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Social Model ◽  
Indigenous Populations ◽  
Disability Services ◽  
Indigenous Australians ◽  
Insurance Scheme ◽  
The Social ◽  
Colonial Theory

INTRODUCTION: The participation rates of Indigenous Australians in disability services were significantly lower than the prevalence of disability in Indigenous communities. The Australia’s National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) promises changes to the lives of Australians with disability in general and particularly for the Indigenous population living with disability. This article presents research exploring how the NDIS takes into consideration the issues challenging Indigenous people’s access to, and use of, disability services.METHODS: The theoretical underpinning of the research drew on the social model of disability and post-colonial theory, which informed a systematic review of disability services for Indigenous people, an analysis of the current policy-making process and current NDIS legislation.FINDINGS: The systematic literature review revealed the social, attitudinal, physical and communication barriers experienced by Indigenous people accessing and using disability services; however, the policy analysis of the NDIS indicates that the new legislation does not address these challenges faced by this multi-disadvantaged Australian population group.CONCLUSION: This research highlights the urgent need for disability policy improvements and promotes further design of culturally appropriate healthcare for Indigenous populations, who are still “disabled”, not only by colonised histories but also through contemporary socio-economic marginalization.   

Post-diagnosis young-onset dementia care in the National Disability Insurance Scheme

2021 ◽  
pp. 000486742110116
Author(s):  
Monica Cations ◽  
Sally Day ◽  
Kate Laver ◽  
Adrienne Withall ◽  
Brian Draper
Keyword(s):  
Best Practice ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Disability Insurance ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Disability Services ◽  
Insurance Scheme ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Young Onset ◽  
Care Partners ◽  
Young Onset Dementia

Objective: Post-diagnosis service delivery for young-onset dementia (with onset prior to 65 years) recently moved to the disability system in an attempt to address systemic barriers to best practice in aged care. The objective of this study was to examine experiences and satisfaction with disability services so far among people with young-onset dementia and their care partners and identify strategies for service and system improvement. Methods: The 151 participating Australians living with young-onset dementia or providing informal care to a person with young-onset dementia were recruited via social media, advocacy bodies and specialist medical clinics. A cross-sectional online survey asked participants to provide a timeline of their interactions with the disability system so far and rate their satisfaction with the disability system, aged care and disability services. Results: Participants reported a mean age at symptom onset of 55 years. In all, 53% were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and 25% were diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia. Sixty percent had received an approved plan from the National Disability Insurance Scheme, although 3% were rejected. More than 27% waited longer than 6 months to receive their plan, and half waited at least a month post-approval to access services. Less than 30% agreed that the National Disability Insurance Scheme understands dementia, and fewer than half felt that the process of accessing National Disability Insurance Scheme funding is easy and fast enough. Nonetheless, respondents remained overwhelmingly in favour of young-onset dementia services remaining in the disability system rather than in aged care. Conclusions: While people with young-onset dementia and their care partners strongly agree with their inclusion in the National Disability Insurance Scheme, a relatively low level of experience with dementia in the disability workforce and a lack of integration with the healthcare and aged care systems continue to create important barriers for accessing the services they need.

scholarly journals Parental Experiences of Engaging With the National Disability Insurance Scheme for Their Children: A Systematic Literature Review

2020 ◽  
pp. 104420732094360
Author(s):  
Fiona Russo ◽  
Charlotte Brownlow ◽  
Tanya Machin
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Assistive Technology ◽  
Systematic Literature Review ◽  
Children With Disabilities ◽  
Disability Insurance ◽  
Review Of Literature ◽  
Insurance Scheme ◽  
Parental Experiences ◽  
National Implementation

The Australian National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) reached full national implementation in July 2019. It supports Australians with disabilities via individualized funding packages for disability-specific services and assistive technology. This systematic review of literature presents research describing the experiences of parents of children with disabilities in accessing and participating in the fledgling NDIS and makes recommendations to assist the Agency in better supporting new participant families.

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