Issue 100
11 February 2008
Welcome to the 100th issue of disAbility e-news! e-news commenced life in 2003 as a way of communicating with the disability employment sector about the significant reforms taking place in the sector at that time.
Those early issues focused on some of the preliminary work around case based funding pricing and modelling, and also celebrated the 100th business service organisation achieving quality assurance certification.
We have come a long way since then! The sector now boasts 214 certified business service organisations; the case based funding model is now fully implemented and achieving improved employment opportunities and outcomes for people with disability.
Since 2003 the focus of the publication has broadened to provide policy advice, industry updates, case studies and good news stories about innovation and achievement within the business services sector. It remains the longest running e-news publication within FaHCSIA.
Our current aim is to be the first port of call for groups interested in keeping informed about FaHCSIA’s disability services and programs, and to promote our aim of social and economic inclusion of people with disability.
It’s quite extraordinary to look back and see how far we’ve come from that very first issue – we hope disAbility e-news will continue to be the first stop for you in finding out what’s happening in business services across Australia.
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The Hon Jenny Macklin MP
The Hon Jenny Macklin MP represents Jagajaga in Victoria and is the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. Ms Macklin has an extensive background in research and social policy and was the shadow Minister for the FaCSIA portfolio prior to the 2007 election.
I’m honoured to have been appointed Minister responsible for disability policy and I look forward to working closely with you to address the critical barriers that prevent people with disability from being active participants in our society.
The Parliamentary Secretary for Disability and Children’s Services, Hon Bill Shorten MP, will be assisting me in this role. The appointment of Mr Shorten signals the Australian Government’s commitment to delivering the important reforms outlined in our election commitment to you.
The Australian Government has already extended the Commonwealth State and Territory Disability Agreement (CSTDA).
A renegotiated agreement is a priority for our government and will bring over $900 million of Commonwealth funding allocated for accommodation, respite and in-home support back into the CSTDA.
I have also invited State and Territory Disability Ministers to a special meeting to discuss working together to improve the quality of services provided to people with disability and our intention to develop a National Disability Strategy.
The development of a National Disability Strategy in negotiation with the States and Territories and non-government stakeholders, will provide a national framework to tackle the complex needs of people with disabilities and their carers. The Government will provide the leadership needed to make real gains and build the cooperation required from all levels of government and the private and not-for-profit sectors.
disAbility eNews plays a valuable role in keeping you informed about the many changes happening in your sectors, so congratulations on the 100th issue.
The Hon Bill Shorten MP
The Hon Bill Shorten MP represents Maribyrnong in Victoria and has been appointed the Parliamentary Secretary with responsibility for Disability and Children’s Services with the Families, Housing, Community Services, and Indigenous Affairs portfolio.
Mr Shorten was National Secretary of the Australian Workers’ Union and a union representative for fifteen years before entering Parliament. He’s also served as interim CEO of the Australian Netball Player’s Association, a director of the Victorian Jockeys’ Association and on two Superannuation boards. Mr Shorten has arts and law degrees and an MBA.
I congratulate disAbility e-news on the significant milestone of its 100th issue, and applaud the role it has played in keeping the sector informed.
I am honoured to have been appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children’s Services, working with the accomplished and committed Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, the Hon Jenny Macklin. I’m also happy to have this opportunity to outline some of the Government’s plans to improve the lives of people with disability and their carers.
As the Minister has mentioned, the Rudd Labor Government will develop a National Disability Strategy in negotiation with the states and territories and non-government stakeholders, which will canvass the full range of issues that impact on disability policy across government. Particular elements will include harmonising accessible parking across Australia and investigating barriers to employment.
We are also taking practical measures to support the inclusion and participation of people with disability in the community. These measures include, but are not limited to, modernising the print disability program to take advantage of new technology, and creating a national companion card.
We have extended to two years the period in which people with disability working in business services can try open employment. I am also working closely with the Minister for Workforce Participation, the Hon Brendan O’Connor, to identify and remove other barriers for people with disability when trying to access work.
Both advocacy and disability employment services are essential elements in addressing the barriers people with disability face in economic and social life. In this role I look forward to seeing first hand how employment services and advocacy agencies work to improve the lives of those people who access them.
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The DIY Marketing Kit for business services has now been user tested. In November last year Colmar Brunton Social Research conducted focus groups with service providers in Tasmania and Victoria.
These focus groups have provided valuable information on the relevance and useability of the Kit as a marketing resource for Business Service Managers, as well as opportunities to improve the kit. Feedback on the Kit has been very positive, and indicates it is practical, meaningful, user-friendly, and will be used by the Business Services Sector.
The Kit is undergoing refinements, and will be available in the coming months.
For questions regarding the kit, please contact Fran Cole at fran.cole@facsia.gov.au
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The Australian Government will provide over $315 million, to be paid fortnightly in advance, to state and territory governments to continue services for people with disability while allowing time for the effective renegotiation of a new disability agreement.
The Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Jenny Macklin and Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children’s Services, Bill Shorten, has invited state and territory governments to agree to the offer to extend the current Commonwealth-State/Territory Disability Agreement (CSTDA).
“The Australian Government has offered to extend the CSTDA for a period of six months to 30 June 2008 while negotiations are progressing and any issues associated with the new disability agreement are being resolved,” Ms Macklin said.
“The Australian Government is committed, through the CSTDA, to working with states and territories to continue providing quality services for people with disability.”
“It is a great opportunity for moving forward co-operatively in the area of Commonwealth, state and territory relations in a responsive and productive manner,” Mr Shorten said.
“I am looking forward to working nationally to improve services and support for people with disability across the country.”
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Have you ever thought about the people behind the Disability Employment Assistance Program and what we really do?
Disability Programs Branch within FaHCSIA is responsible for managing a range of programs relating to services for people with disability, including the Disability Employment Assistance Program.
The DEA Operations Section is headed up by Marion Carrick. Marion has been a Section Manager with Disability Programs Branch – in its many guises – over the last four years, first in managing the Quality Assurance Strategy and then the implementation of the Business Services Assistance Package.
The Section also manages the DMI Audit and Compliance Strategy being rolled out nationally over the next 18 months, the Case Based Funding helpdesk function, funding agreement compliance and performance reporting and financial management, as well as reporting on the ‘Support for People with Disability’ ($246m) appropriation.
| Marion Carrick | Section Manager, DEA Operations |
| Chris Chapple | Disability Assistance Package, Business Services Assistance Package, Targeted Support and Case Based Funding Review recommendations |
| Mark Jimmieson | DMI audit and compliance and funding agreement compliance and performance reporting |
| Jenni Levi | Financial management and reporting on the Support for People with Disability appropriation and case based funding helpdesk management. |
The DEA Operations Team
Back – Matthew Branch, Chris Chapple, Mark Jimmieson, Michael Griffith, Scott Walker, Ross Skinner
Front – Taryn Horwood, Jenni Levi, Michelle Creed, Bree McWilliam, Marion Carrick
The DEA Quality Marketing and New Business Team are also located in Brisbane and complement and support the work being undertaken in DEA Operations. Anthony Bartolo has been the Section Manager with the Disability Programs Branch for 18 months, and his team has responsibility for the Quality Assurance Strategy, Marketing and Promotion Strategy and New Business. The Marketing Strategy aims to build the capacity of business services to undertake their own business development activities.
| Anthony Bartolo | Section Manager, DEA Quality Marketing and New Business |
| Jen Albright | Quality Assurance Strategy |
| Fran Cole | Promotions and Marketing of Business Services, Communications Coordination and Response, National Secretariat Program |
| Mark Heywood | New Business |
The Quality, Marketing and New Business Team
Back – Anthony Bartolo, Mark Heywood, Telesia Naupoto, Jen Albright
Front – Jyoti Ramsey, Janice Chapman, Paulina Calderon, Jan-Marie Baker
Absent – Fran Cole, Rosemarie Gec
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This article has been provided by the Best Practice Partnership – www.bestpractice.org.au
The BPP has engaged in proactive discussions with our national peak body National Disability Services (NDS) to assist and support in the development of benchmarking Business Services.
Disability Professionals Victoria (DPV) have agreed that BPP Victorian members form a Special Interest Group under DPV to assist in developing and enhancing best practices as well as providing another medium for forums and presentations.
Membership of the Best Practice Partnership has grown to 32 members, including:
The BPP members have agreed to adopt the Queensland University’s Standard Chart of Accounts for not-for-profit organisations. This will significantly simplify and expedite any financial benchmarking undertaken in the future.
Benchmarking surveys have been further refined and sent out to member and other non member organisations for completion and return. All information is confidential as it contains both financial and non-financial benchmarks. Seven survey responses to date have been received.
The BPP is also looking to hold an Internal Auditor forum for business services during 2008. This will look at developing business service staff to acquire internal auditor skills which they can offer both internally and externally.
For further information visit our website www.bestpractice.org.au or contact Bronwyn on (03) 5153 0111 or by email projectofficer@bestpractice.org.au
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This week Michael Griffith provides more information on the Case Based Funding Helpdesk.
If you have a DEA or FOFMS question for Michael, please contact the CBF Helpdesk by calling 1800 034 887, or by emailing helpdesk.cbf@facsia.gov.au
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You should have provided your 2006-07 Financial Acquittal documents to your local FaHCSIA Contract Manager by 30 September 2007(unless otherwise agreed in writing with FaHCSIA). If you have not provided these documents to us already, we will be writing to you soon asking you to do so by a nominated date. A failure to provide these documents by this time may be considered a breach under clause 18 of the Disability Employment Assistance (DEA) Agreement. Depending on the nature of any non-compliance, this may result in suspension of payments until the documents are provided.
Clause 4.5 of the Standard Terms and Conditions of Funding under the previous DEA Agreement specifies that you must provide the following documents:
and
These documents assure FaHCSIA that the case based funding fees paid to disability employment business services for the period 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007 have been spent in accordance with the DEA Funding Agreement. It is essential that the statement by the auditor makes it very clear that the CBF fess have only been used by the organisation for the provision of the Services and strictly in accordance with this Agreement (i.e. that the use of funding is consistent with the provision of supported employment to your supported employees).
Please contact your local FaHCSIA Contract Manager if you have any queries about these requirements.
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In issue 97 of disAbility e-news we provided advice on the importance of ensuring that you have your Supported Employees sign a client consent form before you complete and authorise their Intake Assessment in FOFMS. There was also information in relation to the ongoing requirements under the new ‘DEA Agreement 2007-10’ in respect of ensuring that you obtain and maintain client consents in accordance with sub-Item 11 of the Schedule.
It is important that you obtain a signed consent form at the time you perform a DMI Reassessment for your clients. This is a new requirement under the DEA Agreement 2007-10 and your obligations around client consents are set out in the following documents under the Agreement:
and
The FaHCSIA Client Consent Form is available on the literature site in FOFMS and at Annexure D to the Additional Procedures and Information of the DEA Agreement 2007-10.
If you have any questions about client consents, please contact your usual FaHCSIA contract manager.
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The last issue of e-news advised of the ‘Crimcheck’ service that provides help with police check requirements. Please be aware that Crimcheck is currently only available to Victorian-based organisations or organisations that at least have an office in Victoria.
More information about how Crimcheck can help with your police checking processes can be found at http://www.crimcheck.org.au/
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Please be aware that the URL address for accessing the FOFMS Portal is being changed.
The new URL is http://fofms.fahcsia.gov.au to reflect the new name of the department. This address will be required if you wish to log in on or after 8:00am Friday 11 January 2008. If you have this address bookmarked, selected as an Internet Explorer favourite or a Home Page (Internet Option), you will need to update the new URL address as your preferred option.
Please contact the FOFMS Helpdesk if you have any questions, at FOFMS@facsia.gov.au or by calling 1800 020 283.
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When a Certification Body (CB) requires a Disability Employment Organisation to provide documented evidence for a desktop audit (usually in order to address any non-conformities or major non-conformities identified in their annual Quality Assurance audit), FaHCSIA recommends the documentation be sent to the CB’s head office mailing address. The CB can then disseminate the information to the auditor. FaHCSIA would also recommend that the Disability Employment Organisation confirms with the CB that the documents have been received.
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A forum for audit personnel involved in the Disability Employment Services Quality Strategy was held in Sydney in October 2007. This was an opportunity for auditors, consumer technical experts, certification bodies and JAS-ANZ representatives to discuss a broad range of items including a preview of work undertaken on the updated version of Procedure 18, a session on the progress with the Certification Scheme for all Disability Services (DS) Audit Personnel and an opportunity for FaHCSIA to provide an update on disability employment policy. The meeting also provided an opportunity for participant’s comments and feedback on these issues.
The JAS-ANZ Technical Committee has now approved updates to Procedure 18 Issue 3. Representation on the JAS-ANZ Technical Committee includes JAS-ANZ, FaHCSIA, DEEWR, Auditors, Consumer Technical Experts, the Complaints Resolution and Referral Service, Australian Federation of Disability Organisations, RABQSA training providers, business service providers and open employment providers. The new Procedure has been released and can be accessed on the JAS-ANZ website http://www.jas-anz.com.au/
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Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA), the national peak organisation for women with disability, has recently published a resource manual on violence against women with disability. This manual is made up of four booklets:
Audio, e-text & Large Print PDF versions of the booklets are included on a CD-ROM which accompanies the manual. The cost of the manual is $22 which covers postage and handling costs.
To order, contact:
Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA)
PO Box 605
ROSNY PARK TAS 7018 AUSTRALIA
Ph: 61 3 62448288 Fax: 61 3 62448255
Email: wwda@wwda.org.au
Web: www.wwda.org.au
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We are pleased to announce that three Business Services have recently won awards!
Tahune Fields recently won a Tasmanian Community Achievement Award, in the category of Primary Industry and Agriculture. This is the inaugural Award for Tasmania and is part of the national Awards Australia project.
The Community Achievement Awards for Tasmania are about recognising individuals, organisations and groups who are making a difference in their local communities and the state of Tasmania. This award gives encouragement and support for those working towards making Tasmania a better place. The award also recognises the success that Tahune Fields has achieved in the area of national and international export.
Stawell Intertwine Service and McGregor House’s ‘EmbroidAbility’ recently won the Manufacturing section of the prestigious Powercor Grampians Pyrenees Business Awards. They were also a finalist in the ’Best New Business’ category.
Three supported employees were acknowledged in front of a huge crowd at the Avoca Racecourse function room. They said that this was a ringing endorsement of the partnership approach in the delivery of services and the way that they are directly promoting the participation of people with disability in real and valued work in their local community.
Bernie O’Connor from Intertwine said that it was not just a wonderful thing to win, but the business had been judged in a mainstream category and had won because of the quality of its product. EmbroidAbility also stated that they were indebted to the Commonwealth Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs for their enthusiastic support for the establishment of the business, particularly its generous financial support.
EmbroidAbility was also one of just nine finalists in the 2007 Provincial Victorian Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award.
These awards recognise and celebrate innovation and entrepreneurship in rural Australia and are run by Champions of the Bush Inc. and the Swinburne University Australian Graduate School of Entrepreneurship.
Greenacres Disability Services recently won the ‘Health and Community Services Business category’ at the 2007 Integral Energy/Illawarra Business Chamber Awards.
This is the 6th award Greenacres have won at these awards since 2000, and the 4th time Greenacres have won this particular award.
Neil Preston from Greenacres was proud to state “We are keeping the banner flying for disability in the business community against some really stiff competition. There were over 980 people at the awards night and it was a great night”.
I am sure that you will all join us in congratulating these Business Services’ in achieving their awards. Well done!
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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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