Hunter Disability eNews
MAY 2004
Phone: 02 4927 0111 or e-mail: infoline@dash.org.au or web: www.dash.org.au
Welcome to the DASH Disability Infoline eNews. We aim to distribute the latest news relevant to the Hunter disability sector. To be added to or removed from our e-mailing list, simply send your name and e-mail address and request to infoline@dash.org.au. For contributions to eNews, e-mail any information to infoline@dash.org.au . Editor Evadne Lewis.
WHAT’S IN THIS EDITION:
1st – 31st MAY WORLD NEUROFIBROMATOSIS ** AWARENESS MONTH
10th – 16th MAY EPILEPSY AWARENESS WEEK
IN-PATIENT PSYCHIATRIC CARE
FOR PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES
Little is
known about the experiences of individuals with intellectual
disabilities and additional mental health problems who are admitted for
inpatient psychiatric care. In the
UK
such care is delivered in both generic psychiatric and specialised treatment
settings. The present study explored service users'
and carers' views on in-patient psychiatric treatment received across these
two settings. Thirty service users and wherever possible their main carers
were interviewed about their views on the psychiatric admission, treatment
and discharge process. Data was gathered during
semi-structured, one-to-one interviews. Both service users and carers
identified positive and negative aspects of the psychiatric admission. For
service users: lack of control and information, support from staff, or
conversely its absence emerged as key themes. For carers: concerns about
service users' vulnerability, negative staff attitudes and opportunities for
involvement emerged as key themes. The accounts of both groups regarding
generic psychiatric settings were predominantly negative. In contrast,
specialised settings were frequently described as
providing a pleasant environment, supportive and caring staff, good
information sharing and satisfactory discharge arrangements. Conclusions:
important areas for service improvements are highlighted,
implications for generic settings in particular are considered.
[SOURCE: Longo, S. & Scior,
K. (2004)
In-patient psychiatric care for individuals with intellectual disabilities:
the service users' and carers' perspectives.
Journal of Mental Health, 13(2), 211-221.]
DESCRIPTIVE PSYCHOPATHOLOGY IN PEOPLE WITH
INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES
This article considers
variables associated with the presence of a psychiatric diagnosis in those
referred to a specialist mental health service for people with mental
retardation (MR). Data were collected on 752
newly referred clients. The presence of a psychiatric diagnosis was assessed
by two psychiatrists, based on International Classification of Diseases
(10th Rev.) criteria. A series of binary logistic regression analyses
were conducted. Older age, mild MR, admission to
an inpatient unit, referral from generic mental health services, and
detention under current mental health legislation were associated with an
increased presence of any psychopathology. Severe MR, the presence of
epilepsy, and residence with the family were associated with a lower
incidence of any psychopathology. Findings relating to specific psychiatric
diagnoses on the whole supported previous
research. Clear service arrangements are necessary for people with mild MR
who have a high incidence of psychiatric disorders. [SOURCE: Cowley, A.,
Holt, G., Bouras, N.,
Sturmey, P., Newton, J.T. & Costello, H. (2004) Descriptive
Psychopathology in People With Mental
Retardation. Journal of Nervous & Mental Disease, 192(3), 232-237.]
DEPRESSION IN YOUNG PEOPLE WITH
INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY
Discusses various myths and
clinical issues on the topic of depression and intellectual disability.
[SOURCE: Dossetor, D. (2002)
Depression in young people with intellectual disability. the Clinician,
2(1), (Courage and depression), 28-33.]
ACCESS TO JOURNAL
ARTICLES
Access to the full-text of the
journal articles referenced above is available through the James Fletcher
Library, located on the first floor of the Barracks building in the grounds
of James Fletcher Hospital, Watt St, Newcastle. For more information contact
the library on Tel: (02) 4924 6790 or Fax: (02) 4924 6795 or email:
jfhlibrary@hunter.health.nsw.gov.au or website:
www.himh.org.au - select “James Fletcher Library” – then scroll down to
“click here for more information”.
ACCESS AND INCLUSION FOR
DISABLED PEOPLE ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB
According to a study published 15th
April 2004 by the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) UK, more than 80% of UK
public websites fail minimum standards for disabled web access. Many
disabled people find it impossible to book a holiday, open a bank account or
buy theatre tickets online. The DRC issued a stern warning that many
businesses may not be complying with existing equal access laws and it was
only a matter of time before they faced legal challenge from disabled
consumers. The study also revealed high levels of ignorance among web
developers over both the steps required and the costs of making their
websites accessible for disabled people. With the Centre for Human Computer
Interaction Design at London's City University, the DRC looked at a
representative sample of 1,000 public websites. 100
sites were subjected to in-depth evaluation by a disabled users’ group, who
had a range of impairments. Researchers also canvassed the views of
more than 700 businesses that had commissioned websites and nearly 400
website developers. Automated software tools, used to test whether the
sample sites complied with voluntary web access guidelines set by the World
Wide Web Consortium, revealed that 81% of websites (808) failed to meet
minimum standards for disabled web access. The survey also found that the
average home page contains 108 barriers that make it impossible or very
difficult for disabled people to use. The evaluation of 100 websites by the
disabled user group revealed that because of poor accessibility over a
quarter of the most routine and straightforward
online tasks could not be completed successfully. Blind people were the most
disenfranchised of web users, as they were unable to perform nearly half the
tasks set them despite using devices such as screen readers. In the same
study, the DRC found that levels of accessibility expertise amongst website
developers were low with only 9% using disabled people to test their sites.
You can download the report at:
www.drc-gb.org/publicationsandreports/report.asp.
Source: Disabled Rights Commission Website - 2004.
[SOURCE: In the Media - Physical Disability Council of
NSW
www.pdcnsw.org.au.]
OMBUDSMAN TABLES REPORT INTO DADHC
The NSW Ombudsman, Bruce Barbour, recently released a special report to
Parliament, which highlights the failure of the Department of Ageing,
Disability and Home Care (DADHC) to effectively support families at risk of
giving up the care of their disabled children. The report details the
findings of an extensive investigation. Mr Barbour said: “My investigation
shows that DADHC has failed to adequately support families to enable
children with disabilities to remain in the care of their family. Many
families who care for children with disabilities already face significant
stress. The result of DADHC’s ineffective intervention was that this stress
was unduly aggravated.” The Ombudsman investigation found that the
department’s implementation of its policy for children and young people with
disabilities demonstrated: lack of clarity about the department’s role in
supporting families in crisis; uncertainty about which sections of the
department had responsibility for providing support; confusion about the
respective roles of DADHC and the Department of Community Services (DoCS);
inconsistencies in DADHC’s own policy requirements; inadequate guidance to
staff about how to implement the policy and subsequent confusion about how
services should be provided. The Ombudsman said: “a major concern was that
families were not able to get the services necessary to support them through
difficult times”. The investigation found: confusion about how to obtain
access to services; no clearly defined decision making process about access
to services; a fragmented and poorly co-ordinated service system and no
clearly defined avenue of appeal where services were denied or considered
inadequate. The Ombudsman investigation also found that, for children with
disabilities who were not able to remain living with their families, service
arrangements were often inadequate. “These children were not provided with
the same safeguards as children who enter care through the child welfare
system.” The Ombudsman said: “DADHC has responded to our investigation in a
positive way by developing an action plan and establishing a task force to
address the problems we have highlighted”. Strategies within the action plan
include addressing staff training needs, implementing an effective system to
deal with requests for support, enhancing service access and coordination
and improving the range of available services. “The key to the department’s
improvement in this area will be effective implementation of its action
plan. It is an ambitious plan and we will be closely monitoring the
department’s progress over the coming year.” The report, including the DADHC
Action Plan, can be found at: www.nswombudsman.nsw.gov.au/publications/index.html.
[SOURCE: IDEAS Inc E-News Issue 9, 2004.]
MINISTER HAD ‘NO IDEA’ ABOUT DEPARTMENT FAILINGS
NSW Community Services Minister Carmel
Tebbutt has stated she had no idea about widespread mismanagement
within her department despite the Ombudsman finding major failings.
Ombudsman Bruce Barbour's report found support for families by the
disabilities department was so inadequate, many
have been forced to place their children in outside care. It says a
policy was put in place in 2002 to keep families together but two years
later it was still failing. Ms
Tebbutt says an action plan
has now been put in place and has blamed the department for the
problems. "The Ombudsman's identified some serious weaknesses in the way the
department has implemented its children's policy," she said. "The
department's developed a comprehensive action plan to address those
issues, my responsibility is to ensure that action plan is implemented."
[SOURCE: IDEAS Inc E-News Issue 9, 2004.]
DEPARTMENT OF AGEING DISABILITY AND HOME CARE CALD JOINT ACTION PLAN
The Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association (MDAA), together with 20
other agencies, has participated in the development of a CALD (Culturally
and Linguistically Diverse) Joint Action Plan. DADHC recently signed off
this plan as their commitment to a partnership approach to improving
accessibility and responsiveness of services for people with a disability,
older people and their carers from CALD backgrounds. DADHC see this as
demonstrating ’shared commitment in improving access and responsiveness of
services’ and operate from the perspective that all participating
organisations are recognised as equal partners in the formulation and
implementation of the Joint Action Plan. MDAA continue to express their
concerns with this plan. They are particularly disturbed about the lack of
any commitment to improving access and responsiveness of DADHC provided
services, as well as a lack of any significant initiatives to enhance access
for people to DADHC funded services. MDAA is also disappointed about the
plan’s short time frame (June 2004). They are concerned that this represents
a piecemeal approach that achieves little but placates critics. [SOURCE:
MDAA March eNews.] More information about CALD activities can be found in
the newsletter: Synergy (2004) No. 1, published by Multicultural Mental
Health Australia. Their web address is: www.mmha.org.au.
NESB RESPONSE TO DADHC DRAFT FUTURE DIRECTIONS DOCUMENT
MDAA together with the ECC and with endorsement from a range of
organisations, including ACROD and NCOSS, responded to the DADHC draft
Future Directions document:
www.dadhc.nsw.gov.au/dadhc/Doing+business+with+us/DADHC+Future+Directions+2004+-+A+Draft+Discussion+Document.htm.
This response recommends strategic directions for the Department to address
current racial inequities:
www.mdaa.org.au/systemic/04/response.dadhacpaper.html. One of the key
recommendations is that DADHC establish broad performance targets in
collaboration with stakeholders that increase incrementally to achieve
equity over the next 10 years. In practice, they recommend that regional
DADHC offices assist agencies to develop targets to ensure that, over time,
the agencies’ consumers reflect the cultural diversity of the community the
agency serves. 3 out of every 4 people from a NESB with disability continue
to miss out on Disability Services. MDAA strongly believes that unless
serious commitments (such as outcome targets) are made to redress these
appalling service utilisation rates, DADHC and the NSW Labor government
continue to operate a system that is not based on need but one that is based
on race. If you have any queries, questions, comments or other contributions
contact MDAA by email: mdaa@mdaa.org.au or Tel: (02) 9891 6400. [SOURCE:
Disability and NESB – May 2004, a newsletter produced by MDAA.]
$99m PACKAGE TO BENEFIT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT
SERVICES
On the 21st
April 2004, the Federal Government announced a $99 million assistance
package to ensure that employees with disabilities receive pro-rata
award-based wages and have better access to quality services and
personalised workplace training and support. Announcing the new package with
the Prime Minister, the Minister for Family and Community Services, Senator
Kay Patterson said the $99 million in new spending over the next four years
was designed to deliver quality services and good working conditions to the
17,000 Australians with a disability working in business services. "It is
important that we ensure that business services are viable and can operate
successful businesses in the future," she said. The package includes: a
range of strategies that ensures that no person will be displaced from a
service and no sole service in a town or region will close due to the
current changes to the sector; assistance to address the effect of increased
wages; the release of new pricing models for both business services and open
employment services to provide fairer and more efficient funding; and the
release of the business services wage assessment tool, which has been
developed by the Australian Government in consultation with provider,
consumer, business and union representatives, to assist business services
determine fair pro-rata wages for employees with disabilities. Senator
Patterson said: "The Government-funded wage assessment tool is available for
business services to calculate pro-rata award based wage levels for their
employees. The release of the new wage assessment tool will deliver fairer
wages for business service workers because it will determine a pro-rata
wage, based on productivity and competency of each individual. Through the
industry assistance measures, the Australian Government will provide extra
support for people whose productivity is very low and who choose to continue
working with their business service. Eligible clients can have access to a
case manager to support them in choosing whether they wish to remain working
in the business service, undertake training at their current service, enter
a targeted support service or work in an alternative service.” Senator
Patterson said case-based funding is a fairer system where disability
employment services will receive funding based on the individual support
needs of their employees. "Over the next 18 months providers will be
gradually converted to the new system and will receive extensive support
from the government during this process.” Source: Minister for Family and
Community Services - Media Release 2004. [SOURCE: In the Media - Physical
Disability Council of NSW www.pdcnsw.org.au.]
MORE SUPPORT FOR CARERS IN $461 MILLION BUDGET PACKAGE
A one-off boost of up to $1000 for carers, an extension of Carer Allowance
and more support for young carers and elderly parents caring for a son or
daughter with disabilities are part of a $461 million Carers Package in the
2004-05 Budget. The Minister for Family and Community Services, Senator Kay
Patterson, said the Australian Government was committed to providing strong
support for carers and recognising the valuable role they play in the
community. The new support for carers includes a one-off Carers Bonus of
$1000 to eligible recipients of Carer Payment and $600 to each recipient of
Carer Allowance, to be payable before the end of June 2004. Carer Allowance
has been extended to carers who do not live with the people for whom they
provide care. To qualify they must provide a minimum of 20 hours a week of
personal care and the receiver of the care must be assessed as needing that
level of care. The changes will be implemented from 1st
April 2005. Young carers, who are at risk of leaving school early, will be
provided with in-home respite services of up to five hours each school week
to help them complete their secondary or vocational equivalent education and
at risk young carers will get one fortnight of respite care each year to
undertake activities such as studying for exams, training or recreation. All
young carers would have access to information, advice and referral services
through a telephone hotline, on line advice and an information package. The
Federal government will work with the State and Territory governments to
provide a guarantee that respite care will be made available for ageing
parents caring for a son or daughter with a disability. For example, four
weeks a year respite for parents over 70 years of age who are caring for a
son or daughter with a disability. Parents aged 65 to 69 who care for a son
or daughter with a disability and need to spend time in hospital will be
eligible for up to two weeks respite care. Ageing parents are often worried
about how their children will be helped into disability accommodation when
they can no longer provide care. The government proposes that the Community
and Disability Services Ministerial Council establish an advisory body to
develop options. Source: ACOSS Media Release 11 May 2004. [SOURCE: In the
Media - Physical Disability Council of NSW www.pdcnsw.org.au.]
FUNDING FOR AUSLAN INTERPRETERS
The 2004-05 Budget announcement of $18.4m over four years to establish a
unit to book and pay for Auslan (Australian Sign Language) interpreters for
specified private medical and health consultations brings a welcome relief
to Australia's Deaf community. "We're delighted!" said Australian
Association of the Deaf (AAD) manager Karen Lloyd. "Deaf people have been
struggling for years without an interpreter at medical appointments, and
Deaf Societies have been struggling without funds to provide interpreters
when they can. Deaf people need to be able to understand information about
their health, and the most effective way to do this is via Auslan
interpreting. This funding will go a long way to addressing a real need."
For further information on AAD, contact Karen Lloyd on TTY: (07) 3357 8277
or Tel: (07) 3357 8266 or Fax: (07) 3357 8377 or email:
karen.lloyd@aad.org.au.
or web-site:
www.aad.org.au.
Source: Australian Association of the Deaf - Media Release 2004. [SOURCE: In
the Media - Physical Disability Council of NSW www.pdcnsw.org.au.]
DEMOCRATS RESPONSE TO THE BUDGET
The 2004-05 Budget offers plenty of assistance for people already in the
workforce and earning high incomes, but nothing to assist people with
disabilities to move out of poverty into open employment, or out of aged
care nursing homes into more suitable accommodation. Australian Democrats
spokesperson for Family & Community Services and Disability, Senator Brian
Greig, says the Budget is heavily weighted in favour of high income, working
families to the detriment of single parent families and people with a
disability. "People with a disability missed out on the $300 lump payment in
the last pre-election budget and now miss out again on any lump sum
payments. The Government is offering lump sum one-off payments of $600 to
families, $1000 to carers, $3500 to aged care facilities for residents, but
nothing to those with a disability," Senator Greig said. "In spite of an
injection of $2.2 billion into aged care, there is nothing for young people
with disabilities trapped in nursing homes, with low levels of
rehabilitative support. People with a disability have the same needs as
other low income Australians, but they do not qualify for the tax cuts. Few
will have the opportunity to contribute to superannuation and they will
therefore not benefit from the Government's co-contribution incentives."
Senator Greig says it appears that this section of Australian society is
being made to pay for the Senate's decision last year to reject the severe
cuts to disability support pensions that were proposed by the Government.
"The pay rise in the Budget is good news for those currently working in
business services, but there is little to assist those who are able to move
from the old sheltered workshops into mainstream employment. All the reforms
of the McClure Report that would have helped people with a disability have
been ignored now for three years, they may well disappear into history. The
Democrats are again calling on the Government to recognise the cost of
disability, pay tiered income support and at least provide a one-off payment
from this year's generous surplus. Media Contact: Di Graham, Tel: (02) 6277
3338 or 0417 177 523. Source: Democrats - Media Release 2004. [SOURCE: In
the Media - Physical Disability Council of NSW www.pdcnsw.org.au.]
CARERS’ CASH SLASHED - BY
FLEUR ANDERSON – MAY 10, 2004 - THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
Parents caring for disabled children will be hit by a $104 million
cost-cutting scheme to be introduced after the federal election, leaked
Cabinet documents reveal. Almost 43,000 parents with seriously sick or
disabled children, and adults caring for their elderly parents, would have
their maximum backdated carers' allowance slashed from $2280 for a year to
just $526 for a maximum three months. The cost savings will pay for a
separate $107 million four-year package for carers the Federal Government is
expected to reveal tomorrow and estimated to benefit just 13,000 people.
Under that package, carers would be able to claim the $90-a-fortnight
carers' allowance, even if they are not living in the home of the person
they are caring for. The confidential Cabinet paper said reducing the amount
of backdated time carers claimed would produce ongoing and increasing
savings for the Government. The cost-cutting measure would be introduced in
July 2005, saving the Federal Government $33.6 million in 2005-2006, $35.1
million in 2006-2007 and $36 million in 2007-2008. The Federal Government
previously tried to slash the backdated carers' allowance in 1997 but failed
to get the proposal through the Senate. "The Senate argued that the proposal
failed to recognise the hardship experienced by parents of children with
disabilities, especially those children with conditions that take a long
time to diagnose," the document said. Opposition family and community
services spokesman Wayne Swan said families faced enormous financial
pressures when a family member fell seriously ill because often another
family member would have to give up work to care for them. Under the current
arrangements, a carer's allowance can be backdated for up to 52 weeks prior
to the date the allowance is first claimed for a sick child and up to 26
weeks for an adult. That would now be cut back to a maximum of 12 weeks. The
allowance is meant to signify the Australian Government's appreciation of
carers. "The proposal would standardise the carer's allowance backdating
provisions for adults and children, remove inequities in the current
arrangements and remove confusion for customers about different backdating
rules," the Cabinet document said. "The proposal would affect 42,750 new
claimants of carers' allowance by reducing the amount of back payment
received when carers' allowance is granted." It would not affect people
currently claiming the allowance or the numbers of people granted the
allowances. [SOURCE: In the Media - Physical Disability Council of NSW
www.pdcnsw.org.au.]
SUPPORTED OVERSEAS HOLIDAYS
Eagleton
Ridge Respite Centre Pty Ltd has branched into Supported Overseas Holidays.
Our first trip is to Bali in June 2004. 8 days & 7 nights in
5* Resort
Accommodation, includes airfares, airport taxes accommodation, meals, tours,
transport and 24 hour support. Holidays planned for June, September,
December, March and June, depending on availability. Please contact Belinda
Furlonger,
Director, Eagleton
Ridge Respite Centre Pty Ltd on Tel: (02) 4987 1686 for further information.