Issue 52 | 24 October 2005
Savvy business services are looking to their current marketing strategies as a key to improving business viability. One question that immediately arises is whether business services should centre their marketing strategy around their products or services or highlight the disability focus of their business. To help answer this, the Department has commissioned market research into why businesses would choose to buy products or services from your organisation. The research will:
The market research is being conducted by TNS Social Research and will be completed by the end of the year. It will be freely available to business services to help them shape their marketing strategies.
The researchers would like to conduct interviews with business service managers. If you are interested, please email anthony.bartolo@facsia.gov.au.
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Good corporate governance is important to help your organisation achieve its outcomes and obligations through sound planning and risk management. It can help decision making and improve accountability. It also provides a framework for establishing responsibility to your organisations members, the people served by you and other stakeholders. The department published a corporate governance handbook in 2001 that gives an overview of the key corporate governance legislative requirements and concepts, together with features of good corporate governance. The Handbook also has practical tips for fulfilling your corporate governance obligations.
You can find the corporate governance handbook on the FaCS internet site.
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The National Disability Abuse and Neglect Hotline is a free telephone service that takes reports of abuse and neglect against people with disability. Anyone can call the Hotline on 1800 880 052 to report alleged abuse and neglect of people with disability. The Hotline operates 8am to 8pm (Eastern Standard Time) across Australia 7 days a week.
To meet your quality assurance obligations in Disability Services Standards 7 (Complaints and disputes) and 12 (Protection of human rights and freedom from abuse) you should regularly promote the Hotline to your consumers.
If you need brochures, posters or more information about the Hotline please call the Hotline manager on 02 9370 3100.
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The CBF Helpdesk has a new fax number: 07 3005 6097.
Please note that all other contact details for the CBF Helpdesk remain the same.
Ph: 1800 034 887[ top ]
Did you know that you can change your user access level (“Position”) in FOFMS without having to log out and log in again? A task card showing how to change your active position without logging out of FOFMS has been developed for your use, and is available on the FOFMS Literature site.
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1 January 2006 is the date by which all services must have transitioned at least 75 per cent of their original Block Grant Outlet Capacity (BGOC) to CBF.
You must complete two important tasks by Friday 25 November 2005 to ensure that your service has transitioned the correct number of clients by 1 January 2006.
By 25 November 2005 you must:
How do I determine how many cases I have to transition?
Task cards for more assistance
To help you complete these tasks in FOFMS, FaCS has developed two task cards that will guide you through the process of completing DMIs and how to select cases for transition. You can find copies of these task cards attached under the 'Literature' section in FOFMS.
Exemption for Small Services
Please note: Small services (outlets with an Outlet Capacity of 20 or less) are exempt from this requirement and can transition to CBF at any transition point up to 1 July 2006.
However, it is to your advantage to complete DMIs for your clients as soon as possible to allow you to get an insight into your future funding levels.
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Please note that you will not be paid an Intake Payment for new cases until their Intake Assessment has been completed and authorised on FOFMS. It is your responsibility to ensure that Intake Assessments are authorised on FOFMS once they have been completed. FaCS will not backdate Intake Assessments, or make back-payments. Please note that normal case rules for DMI assessments still apply, ie you must wait 13 weeks after the Intake Assessment authorisation date before a DMI can be completed and authorised.
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The upgrade of FOFMS scheduled for 14 November 2005 contains a number of enhancements and new functionality to help you with the management and administration of CBF, including:
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You will soon receive an information pack detailing the new FOFMS functions and enhancements contained in the 14 November 2005 upgrade. New task cards will be provided to help you with specific tasks you may need to complete.
FOFMS Helpdesk staff will provide additional support to anyone requiring help with the new functionality, but first read the information pack that will be sent to you by email, as well as a hard copy, in the week commencing 7 November 2005. All information will be available on the ‘Literature’ tab on FOFMS.
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Please note that all completed WBPA forms should now be faxed to 07 3005 6097, as advised in issue #50 of the e-news. Make sure you use the new fax number - 07 3005 6097.
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Have you heard about the National Best Practice Conference being hosted by Challenge Armidale? As part of their 50th Anniversary celebrations they have decided to provide an opportunity for service providers and carers to get together to celebrate what they do well.
The conference is about Vision and Practice celebrating the best that disability services in Australia and overseas have to offer. The range of subjects being discussed include governance and management, ageing and disability, health, well-being, innovation in employment and accommodation support programs, day programs, therapy services and children's service. Minister Kay Patterson will be attending.
More information about the program and keynote speakers is at http://www.une.edu.au/campus/confco/bpdc2005/welcome.php3. Business Services may be eligible for a concessional registration so check the website today.
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Have you nominated yet to participate in the focus groups for the quality strategy evaluation. The focus groups service providers are being held in:
| Brisbane | Wednesday 26 October 2005 | 1.30pm – 4.00pm | Diana Plaza Hotel 12 Annerley Road Woollongabba |
| Horsham, Victoria | Monday 31 October 2005 | 1.30pm – 4.00pm | Conference Room Horsham Golf Club 304 Golf Course Road Horsham |
| Sydney | Wednesday 2 November 2005 | 1.30pm – 4.00pm |
FaCS state office Level 5, 1 Oxford Street Darlinghurst |
If you want to attend the focus groups please call 1800 108 700.
Further information about the quality strategy evaluation is on the FaCS website[ top ]
Email disAbility e-news if you'd like more information on a particular issue or program or to let us know what you think of this e-newsletter.
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Your contributions to disAbility e-news are welcome. Do you want to let others know about your successes? Or how you engage with local businesses to create employment opportunities for people with disabilities? Email your story idea to disAbility e-news.
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