The NSW Government’s budget for services to people with disabilities, their families and their carers and older people will for the first time eclipse $2 billion: up $130.5 million from 2007/08.
NSW Minister for Ageing and Disability Services, Kristina Keneally, said the massive investment reflects Labor’s spending and policy priorities outlined by the Premier in Stronger Together, and recently endorsed by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.
NSW welcomes the recent announcement by the Commonwealth of additional funding to be provided to the States for people with disabilities and their carers. This funding is not included in the budget figures for the Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care as discussions with the Commonwealth are continuing.
"The 2008/09 budget is a tangible delivery on the Iemma Government’s commitment to deliver better services and facilities for NSW’s most vulnerable members – frail elderly people and people with disabilities," Ms Keneally said.
"This year the Iemma Government has allocated a total of $2.024 billion to DADHC, an increase of 6.9 percent over the previous year.
"Over the past five years, the budget for ageing and disability services in NSW has increased by $640.4 million or 46.2%, enabling the Iemma Government to deliver services to over 44,700 people with disabilities – 40 percent more people than the five years prior.
"This Budget represents the third year of the NSW Government’s historic reshaping of the sector under its 10-year Stronger Together strategy, which will deliver an extra $1.3 billion in funding over its first five years.
"This will fund continued increases in existing services such as respite for carers of people with disabilities who need a break from caring responsibilities, therapy services for children and supported accommodation for people with disabilities who cannot live at home."
Ms Keneally said that key areas of focus and expenditure for 2008/09 include:
• $109.3 million (up $38.7 million from 2007/08) for supported accommodation, providing community-based residential support for people with a disability. 280 extra supported accommodation places will be delivered by the end of 2008/09, taking the total number delivered under Stronger Together to 620.
• $17.7 million (up $7.6 million) to prevent young people entering nursing homes, improve services to young people who live in nursing homes, and develop alternative models of support and accommodation for young people with disabilities.
• $14.1 million (up $7.5 million) for attendant care places which provide up to 35 hours of help per week to people with disabilities with high care needs, helping them live independently. Services include assistance with personal hygiene and daily living, domestic assistance and the provision of health care needs. An extra 100 attendant care places will be delivered in 2008/09, taking the total to 190 places.
• $5.3 million (up $2 million) for Intensive Support Packages. The increase of $2 million will provide 400 intensive support packages for young people with disabilities and their families - providing co-ordinated case management of therapy services, respite services and counselling for families having a particularly hard time.
• $47.4 million (up $9.1 million) to increase support from three to four days per week for people with disabilities who leave school but cannot enter the workforce.
o Seventy percent of the people who have so far completed the Transition To Work program progress to mainstream employment or further education.
o The Community Participation program provides meaningful activities for people with disabilities who are unable to work.
• $7.9 million for therapy places (up $4.6 million), including occupational therapy, speech therapy and physiotherapy to help young children and people involved in accidents to reach their full potential, and reduce their future dependence on the disability services system. An extra 840 therapy places in 2008/09 will take the total number of therapy places provided since the beginning of 2006/07 to 1,440.
• $7.8 million (up $5.1 million) to provide places in day programs - helping people with disabilities get out in the community and socialise with their peers, and give their families and carers a break. An extra 340 places in day programs will be delivered in 2008/09, taking the total number of places delivered to 520.
• $5 million over four years ($1.5 million in 2008/09) to provide intensive assistance for 410 children and their families with managing problem behaviours, both at home and at school.
Ms Keneally said that in the 2008/09 budget, the Iemma Government had also made provision to start or ramp up trials of new services for people with disabilities.
"The extra 100 attendant care packages will coincide with an expansion of a program where people self manage the services they receive – giving people more input into their services so they get the services they need, when they need them," Ms Keneally said.
"In addition, the Iemma Government has allocated $115.2 million in capital expenditure for 2008/09, including $60.7 million to continue building or renovating existing accommodation facilities and $35 million to start work on new accommodation.
"In this budget we have sought to provide the additional funding needed under Stronger Together to make an impact on service levels immediately while planning for long-term, sustainable changes that will deliver a more flexible, efficient, transparent and fairer system.
"There is more that we can do – and we are doing more. The Iemma Government is providing more therapy, more accommodation, more respite and more services that people with disabilities, their families and the carers need."