Issue 120
17 November 2008
The Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children’s Services, the Hon Bill Shorten MP, has recently announced that the Australian Government is providing funding of up to $500,000 per year across five metropolitan areas to further expand individual advocacy support for people with disability.
Combined with 10 regional areas previously announced to receive new funding for individual advocacy, this brings total funding to expand the delivery of individual advocacy services and improve service coverage to $1.5 million per year. Funding is from the 2007-08 Federal Budget measure to fund improvements to the National Disability Advocacy Program. This funding will further improve access for people with disability to individual advocacy support, assisting them to overcome barriers such as abuse, neglect and discrimination so that they can fully participate in the community.
The five new regions are:
The 10 regional areas previously announced are:
All 15 areas to be funded have been selected based on disability population and level of disability advocacy support funded by Commonwealth, state and territory governments.
NDAP funded agencies have been invited to apply for the funding for five metropolitan and the previously announced 10 regional areas. They are encouraged to enter into collaborative arrangements with another agency (or agencies) either funded under NDAP, or by a state or territory government.
For further information please contact disabilityadvocacy@fahcsia.gov.au.
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Fifteen exceptional Australians have been announced as finalists in the 2008 National Disability Awards. The finalists were selected from approximately 240 great nominations across the five award categories.
All finalists are inspiring individuals who have made unique contributions to the lives of people with disability. The 2008 National Disability Award finalists are:
Go Getter Award
Young Community Contribution Award
Community Contribution Award
Inclusion Award
Personal Achievement Awards
Finalists will be recognised at the National Disability Awards ceremony to be held in Canberra on 3 December 2008. An award recipient for each category will be announced on the night.
The National Disability Awards are part of the Australian Governments celebration of International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD). 2008 is the second year the Awards have been held.
For information on the 2008 National Disability Awards and IDPwD, please visit the IDPwD website at www.idpwd.com.au
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The Department reminds business services that people with disability listed on FOFMS must be receiving supported employment at your DEA funded outlet to receive Case Based Funding from FaHCSIA. This is a requirement of your funding agreement with the Department.
An indicator that someone is in supported employment is if they are on your pay roll. You should not claim DEA funding from FaHCSIA for people with disability who are not on your payroll.
Departmental audits check to see if the supported workers you are claiming for are on your payroll. If clients are found who are not on your pay roll the FaHCSIA Fraud Investigation team may become involved.
Organisations are reminded that the Department can take action against any organisation in breach of their agreement and that there may be serious implications for organisations who are incorrectly claiming CBF payments for other purposes.
If you are aware your organisation is claiming CBF for a worker not in receipt of current employment support, you should contact your local state and territory contract manager immediately.
If you have any questions or want to discuss any issues around CBF eligibility please contact the CBF Helpdesk on
1800 034 887 or email helpdesk.CBF@fahcsia.gov.au
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When running reports for upcoming DMI Reassessments due, you may notice due dates for Cases that are currently Suspended.
While a Case is Suspended there is no need to complete a DMI Reassessment as it would be impossible to gather evidence for someone who is not working. Even if the three months evidence had been gathered prior to Suspension, it would be inappropriate to complete a DMI for an employee who is not currently working.
When a DMI Reassessment becomes due on an active Case, the Business Service has two months prior and three months after the due date to complete the Reassessment.
If, when a Case is Returned From Suspension, the DMI Reassessment is overdue, you will need to call the Case Based Funding Helpdesk on the day of return and we will reset the due date to the return date, giving you three months to gather evidence and complete the Reassessment.
It is important to call the Helpdesk on the day of return as FOFMS will not allow us to back-date the due date. If the DMI due date is updated to the day of return payments will continue for three months from that day. If the DMI due date is left as overdue, payments will cease three months from the overdue date.
If you have any further queries regarding DMI Reassessments please contact the CBF Helpdesk on 1800 034 887 or Helpdesk.CBF@fahcsia.gov.au
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Many business services will be closing down for the Christmas holiday period. This is a period of involuntary leave for supported employees and is subject to the two month suspension requirement on FOFMS. As with the usual suspension rules you should suspend a case when you become aware that the employee will be absent for longer then two calendar months.
Please refer to the following examples:
Should you have any further queries relating to Case suspensions during the Christmas period please contact the CBF Helpdesk on 1800 034 887 or Helpdesk.CBF@fahcsia.gov.au
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The Disability Maintenance Instrument (DMI) is designed to measure the level of employment-related support that a business service has provided to assist a supported employee to reach or maintain an employment outcome. The assessment score equates to one of four funding levels which are electronically determined by the answers to the assessment questions provided by the business service on FOFMS.
It is the business service’s responsibility to ensure that answers to the assessment questions are correct and supported by comprehensive and appropriate evidence. The following documents are available to help you understand and complete the DMI:
The answers to the DMI assessment should be reviewed before the assessment is authorised. Once authorised, the resulting funding level is final and the assessment cannot be reviewed or changed in any way.
In certain situations the level of assistance required to maintain a supported employee in employment may need to be reassessed. A DMI reassessment may be initiated by a business service prior to the due date when there is:
Please refer to Annexure C of the DEA Funding Agreement, DMI Reassessment Triggers Table, for further details on when an Organisation Initiated DMI Reassessment can been requested.
Should you have any queries regarding DMI assessments please contact the Case Based Funding Helpdesk on
1800 034 887 or at Helpdesk.CBF@fahcsia.gov.au
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If a Supported Employee requests to start at another Business Service, they will no longer be able to receive services from your outlet. Their Case must be Exited on FOFMS immediately.
This gives Supported Employees flexibility to access new employment opportunities and ensures a smooth transition.
Paragraph 3.15 of the Funding Agreement Additional Procedures and Information (Providing Activities to Supported Employees) states ‘…You must allow Supported Employees to Exit an Outlet and recommence in a new Outlet, if the new Outlet has vacant Outlet Capacity’.
Paragraph P21.8 of the Funding Agreement Schedule (Exits and Suspensions) states, ‘…if We consider, for any reason (whether or not a reasonably held suspicion or opinion) that You are no longer providing the Activity to a Supported Employee, then We may Exit or Suspend the Supported Employee by notice to You, or direct You to Exit or Suspend the Supported Employee’.
If you have any queries relating to Exiting Cases please contact the Case Based Funding Helpdesk on 1800 034 887 or Helpdesk.CBF@fahcsia.gov.au
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In 2008 Greenacres Disability Services commenced Transition to Work, Community Participation, Retirement Options and Respite for Older Parent/Carer Programs in Nowra.
Prior to implementing these programs, extensive research about people with disability was undertaken. This research highlighted the issue of high school attendance by young Aboriginal people with disability and the difficulties being experienced by those who did stay at school and wanted transition from school to work. It became evident that there was not enough service provision for Aboriginal students with disability.
Based on the research findings, Greenacres decided to develop some Indigenous-specific programs to assist Aboriginal youth. Knowing that effective consultation would be vital to discover the most appropriate and effective options to assist these students, Greenacres undertook consultation with the Aboriginal community and schools in the Shoalhaven Region (Nowra is the largest population centre in the Shoalhaven).
Initial contact was made with Aboriginal Elders in Nowra and over a period of approximately twelve months, a mutual respect and trust developed. The Elders believed a program to assist Aboriginal youth would be valuable, and with their extensive knowledge of the area and its Aboriginal communities, they were able to assist Greenacres to develop a practical, culturally sensitive and most importantly ‘doable’ pilot project proposal.
The elders also alerted Greenacres to the sensitivities and politics amongst the communities in the local area and their support gave them credibility which was invaluable in dealing with families and individuals.
After the consultation process, Greenacres employed an Aboriginal worker, with the assistance of an Aboriginal Elder, who advised them throughout the initial recruitment process and was part of the interview and decision making process.
Greenacres is currently running a ‘pre-pilot program’ to test the model at their Transition to Work premises in Nowra. This involves four Aboriginal students and is in conjunction with the High School and its curriculum; and is facilitated by Greenacres’ Aboriginal employee.
This has been a lengthy and at times frustrating exercise that is still a work in progress, although no one at Greenacres or within the Aboriginal community would argue the worth of the program. The program has the possibility of delivering outcomes for a large number of marginalized students in the Shoalhaven Region. Greenacres believes that if the program succeeds it would offer a practical and affordable program that could be introduced to schools throughout Australia with Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal students that are struggling to complete their studies.
If you are interested to find out more about Greenacres’ journey, contact Neil Preston at Greenacres Disability Services on (02) 4229 2666.
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With Christmas around the corner what better time to look at the business services that produce products for the festive season. Featured below are a few of the business services around Australia helping to spread the spirit.
Print 35
Print 35 create custom made Christmas cards at a competitive price. Complete with a wide variety of designs to choose from, personalised message and company logo.
For more information about Print 35’s great range of Christmas cards and other products please contact:
Print 35
140 Darlinghurst Rd
Darlinghurst NSW 2010
Phone: (02) 8302 0231
Fax: (02) 8302 0222
Website: www.print35.com.au
Louisa's Fine Foods
Louisa’s Fine Foods produce top quality Christmas fare including cakes, puddings, hampers and confectionery.
For more information about Louisa’s Fine Foods range of Christmas fare and other products please contact:
Louisa’s Fine Foods
3 Sandilands Street
Bonalbo NSW 2469
Phone: (02) 6665 1246
Website: www.louisas.com.au
Nadrasca
Nadrasca has a commercial printing operation and undertakes all general printing requirements for customers including letterheads, pamphlets, brochures, carbonless pads etc. For the festive season they print a range of customised Christmas Cards from artwork supplied by customers or provided by the business.
For more information about Nadrasca’s range of Christmas cards and other print work please contact:
Nadrasca
52-62 Rooks Road
Nunawading VIC 3131
Phone (03) 9873 3001
Website: www.nadrasca.com.au
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