National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)

This will never happen in the US, they would rather we be reduced as part of the surplus population. Great for Australia though. My former Senator Hubert Humphrey had this saying,
"The moral test of government is how it treats those who are in the dawn of life . . . the children; those who are in the twilight of life . . . the elderly; and those who are in the shadow of life . . . the sick . . . the needy . . . and the disabled." Our people/government just dodged a bullet.
http://www.strokefoundation.com.au/blog/?p=2428
To date, the funding for people with a disability has been a cruel lottery
The amount of support and services for people with a disability, their families and carers has depended on where they live, what disability they have, and how they attained that disability. The NDIS aims to change all of that.
The Prime Minister released the Productivity Commission’s report on 10 August 2011 and all governments agreed with the recommendation to establish an NDIS. Rather than funding based on historical budget allocations, a funding pool will be
based on actuarial assessment of need.
It will recognise that disability is for a lifetime, and so it will take a lifelong approach to providing care and support. This means that assessment will look beyond the immediate need, and across the course of a person’s life. Taking a lifelong approach also means focusing on intensive early intervention, particularly for people where there is good evidence that it will substantially improve functioning or delay or lesson a decline in functioning.
Importantly, an NDIS will support choice for people with disability, their families and carers, and put people in control of the care and support they receive, based on need. An NDIS will ensure people are no longer “shut out” from opportunities and from independence by providing the appropriate and necessary supports that allow people with disability to reach their full potential.
It will nurture and sustain the support of families, carers and friendship groups – the very communities of support that are
critical to improving the lives of people with disability.
And it will include a comprehensive information and referral service, to help people with a disability who need access to mainstream, disability and community supports.
Latest updates
The first stage of a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) will become real for people with significant disabilities in South Australia, Tasmania, the ACT, the Hunter in NSW and the Barwon region of Victoria.
ACT: the timing for the launch of the NDIS may start in July 2013 or July 2014 and take a phased-in approach.
NSW: the first stage will begin in the Hunter region during 2013-14 for eligible residents from the local government areas of Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Maitland.
Victoria: the first stage starts in the Barwon region on 1 July 2013 for eligible residents from the local government areas of the City of Greater Geelong, Surf Coast Shire, Borough of Queenscliffe and Colac-Otway Shire.
South Australia: From July 2013, an NDIS will be launched across the State, focusing on children aged 0-5 with significant and permanent disability. By 2014 the age limit will be extended to 13 years and in year 3 all children up to 14 years. A total of
around 4,800 children with significant and permanent disability are expected to benefit from the first stage of the scheme.
Tasmania: The first stage of National Disability Insurance Scheme in Tasmania will cover all eligible adolescents aged 15-24.
This approach has been chosen because it represents an opportunity to examine and improve the range of supports that need to be in place for young people with disability to ensure a smooth transition between school and work or higher education.
As more detailed information becomes available it will be posted on the NDIS website at www.ndis.gov.au.
This story was first seen in the Synapse bridge magazine Vol 8