Progress report - 2008
Objective 7: Create long-term support systems centred on the individual
| Agency | Project | Project Aim | Achievement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office for Disability Issues (Ministry of Social Development) www.odi.govt.nz |
Review of Long-Term Disability Supports | To lead a cross-government project to review provision of long-term disability supports (the Review) that is aimed at providing advice to government on ways to improve the disability support system. | In August 2007, the final report from the review was provided to the Ministers for Disability Issues, Social Development and Employment, Health, ACC, Education, Labour, and Finance. A report to Cabinet in February 2008 outlined work already to improve the system and made further recommendations to maintain momentum. |
| Ministry of Health www.moh.govt.nz |
Allocation of funding for people under 65 years | To examine the allocation of support funding for people under 65 with chronic health conditions who need long-term support services but do not meet the access criteria for Ministry of Health funded Disability Support Services or District Health Board (DHB) services. | Allocated funding (through the Interim Funding Pool (IFP)) has been managed to address a funding and service gap in long-term support services for people under the age of 65 with chronic health conditions. Uptake of the IFP continued to increase over the 2007-2008 period. Subject to the capacity and capability of District Health Boards (DHBs), funding responsibility for people under 65 with disabling chronic health conditions has been allocated to DHBs. The Ministry of Health is now working with DHBs to resolve outstanding issues to progress this approach. |
| Improvements in equipment service | To increase the number of disabled people who can be supported to remain more safely in their home, communicate in their everyday lives and participate more in their communities. | Ministry of Health has approved: • changes to the funding guidelines for family vehicles for families with disabled children aged 15 years and under • removal of income and asset testing for modifications (such as vehicle hoists) • increasing the maximum amount for vehicle modification • separate funding consideration for vehicle purchase and/or vehicle modifications. Funding guidelines for several new and extended services included: • Hearing Assistive Technology; this includes visual or vibrating alert systems (e.g. visual smoke alarm) for Deaf, Deafblind and hearing impaired people to ensure that they are able to live at home safely. • Postural Management: additional support for people with a significant physical disability. Communication Assistive Technology: • Increased funding for equipment and training to support people to communicate more effectively in their daily lives. • New guidelines have been prepared and the Assistive Technology Alliance of New Zealand (ATANZ) delivered free training workshops in main centres across the country. |
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| ACC www.acc.co.nz |
Early intensive rehabilitation for people with traumatic brain Injury | To establish shorter periods of time in acute services. To implement an earlier intensive rehabilitation phase and support. |
A service trial of the Integrated Rehabilitation Service for Adults with moderate to severe Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) began March 2008 in the Upper North Island. The trial will set national standards to improve the effectiveness of rehabilitation for people with TBI. |
| Rehabilitation framework | Apply the vision of the Rehabilitation Framework for rehabilitation into the future. | The resource Building Effective Relationship Training was developed for case managers and trialled in 2007. Simpler assessment tools have been developed and implemented. Both assessors and staff have been trained on the improvements. | |
| National Serious Injury Service (NSIS) | To provide better service to clients with serious injuries. | Implementation of the NSIS was completed. Guidelines for Attendant Care Support Needs for Spinal Cord Injury were ratified. A trial of the new Supported Employment Service began with a Waikato provider, with an initial 11 clients in the service. The Request for Proposal evaluations has been completed for a nationwide service and 14 providers have been identified as suitable. Referrals are progressing for the Supported Living Service, which supports clients to remain in their own home rather than enter residential care facilities. |
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| Ministry of Education www.minedu.co.nz |
Professional development | To allocate study awards to support the development of a specialist workforce that is skilled and well trained to support disabled learners in educational settings and is sufficient to meet demand. | The following study awards have been allocated: • 16 for full–time Teacher of the Deaf training • 107 for part–time Resource Teacher Learning and Behaviour training • 22 for Special Needs Teacher/Learning Support training • 7 for part–time Resource Teacher Vision training • 32 for part–time Early Intervention Teacher training • 13 for part–time Advisers on Deaf Children training. |
| Specialist service standards | To implement specialist service standards for all Ministry-funded specialist services for accessibility and consistency in standards and services across the country. | Service standards have been developed using a collaborative process involving a wide range of stakeholders participating in regional focus group workshops. National access criteria for the services have been developed and are being trialled. | |
| Protocols with Ministry of Health and ACC for therapy services | To clarify roles and responsibilities around students who receive therapy services and/or equipment from either the Ministry of Health or ACC and are accessing specialist education services under Special Education 2000 policy. | A joint project brief for the work has been agreed between the Ministers of Health and Education. |