Welcome to Disability ACT

The role and responsibility of Disability ACT is to plan, develop strategic policy, allocate funding and provide and monitor services for people with disability in the ACT and the families that care for them.

These activities are undertaken within the broader departmental framework and in accordance with the Vision and Values statement.

Current Topics

2009 Post School Options

Post School Options Program supports young people with a disability who are leaving school and cannot presently participate in full time employment, or may not be able to do so in the future, through access to Transitional Support and ongoing Community Access Services.

2009 Post School Options Application - Information Package  85kb
2009 Post School Options Application - Information Package  60kb

2009 Post School Options - Application Form  232kb
2009 Post School Options - Application Form  86kb

Meet the Director Meeting June 2008

This report is a summary of the major issues that were discussed at the last quarterly "Meet the Director" meeting which was held on 10 June 2008.

Meet the Director Meeting Report  104KB
Meet the Director Meeting Report  70KB

Announcing the BLITS Website

BLITS - Business Leaders Innovative Thoughts and Solutions - http://www.blits.org.au

BLITS promotes initiatives that value and engage people with disabilities as customers, suppliers, employees and employers in business the arts and sport.

The BLITS website is provided as a point of reference and contact for businesses in the ACT and Region engaging with people with disabilities as customers, suppliers, employees and employers in business the arts and sport. This site offers a useful business information directory, business profiles and a diary dates section.

A regular BLITS E-News facility is available to those using the ‘sign up’ facility.

The BLITS motto says it all: ‘Business + Disability = Smart Thinking’

Mid-term External Evaluation of Future Directions

The external evaluation of the Future Directions has now been completed.  The Evaluation focused on the role and function of a shared governance arrangement between government and the community in enabling the progression of agreed strategic priorities.  Overall the Evaluation Team, which was led by Dr Michael Kendrick and comprised international experts, has commended the unique and innovative model and recommended that it be continued with an enhanced strategic focus. 

A copy of the evaluation team’s recommendations along with the Department’s response is provided below.

DHCS Response to Recommendations of the Evaluation of Future Directions  91KB

Review of the Role of Government as a Provider of Disability Services

The Review of the Role of Government focused on the strategic priorities that need to be considered in the delivery of disability services over the next 5-7 years. Through a very comprehensive consultation process with a wide range of stakeholders, the Review has delivered a set of 12 recommendations that, together with the recommendations from the Evaluation of Future Directions, continue to bring us closer in reaching the aspirations articulated in Challenge 2014.

Final Think Tank Report  189KB

Call for Expressions of Interest for the ACT Disability Strategic Governance Group

The ACT Disability Strategic Governance Group is seeking expressions of interest from community members. The Group provides advice on strategic direction to the Chief Executive, Department of Disability, Housing and Community Services, on the implementation of whole of community responses and the desired outcomes of government funded services and supports. The Group works in a shared governance framework comprising family, community and government representatives to provide realisation to the vision and values for people with disabilities living in the ACT.

Expression of Interest and the Selection Criteria are provided below.

Expression of Interest  46KB

Selection Criteria  42KB

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

On Saturday, 3 May 2008, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities came into force as an international human rights treaty. This Convention is very important to the 650 million people with disabilities throughout the world as it provides an international framework for their protection by enumerating the existing human rights as they apply specifically to people with disabilities. These include rights to non-discrimination in all areas of life such as employment, education, health services, transportation and access to justice.

Australia was among the first countries to sign the Convention, but is yet to ratify it. Ratification by Australia is required to make the Convention Australian law and the necessary steps in this process are underway. These steps include consideration of a National Interest Assessment by the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties and both Houses of Parliament.

Further information on the Convention can be found online on the United Nations’ Convention specific website at: http://www.un.org/disabilities/ 

2007/08 Disability ACT Budget Initiative

Questions and Answers about the 2007/08 Budget Initiative - Disability ACT response to known and unmet demand.
2007/08 ACT Budget Allocation 101KB
2007/08 ACT Budget Allocation 47KB

Workforce Strategy

In 2007 Disability ACT sought comments on the report The Disability Workforce Strategy for the ACT Disability Sector.

This report is part of a project initiated by Disability ACT around the advancement of the workforce across the disability sector in the ACT. This is a long term project with implementation expected to be undertaken over a three year period.

Following the consultative period a Workforce Working Group was established to progress, in partnership with the ACT community, a strategy that works towards a sustainable, stable and well-trained disability workforce.

The ACT Disability Workforce Working Group held their first community forum on 30 April 2008. This forum, the first in a series of events, provided information on current issues, trends and initiatives locally and nationally regarding the disability workforce. A proposed action plan was tabled and feedback sought from participants. Key themes identified to work on are relationships, marketing, recruitment, retention, training and data.

In addition to this work there has been a significant advancement for the disability workforce. NDS Queensland is taking carriage of a national workforce capacity project. Services from each state and territory have been selected to research and pilot a range of recruitment and retention strategies.

In addition to the work being undertaken in the ACT, you can access information on the NDS national workforce project at:

http://www.ndsquldprojects.net/nwp/index.htm

For further information on the Workforce Strategy Project or a copy of the report, contact:
Nadine Stephen
GPO Box 158
Belconnen ACT 2617
(02) 6205 3532
Email: Nadine Stephen

The Review of the Role of Government as a Disability Service Provider

The decision to conduct a review of the role of Government as a disability service provider (the review) follows several years of policy development and wide discussion with a range of stakeholders. The primary underpinning document for the Review is Future Directions: A framework for the ACT 2004-2008 that states one of the priorities (Objective 4.4) as:

Review the role of government as a provider of accommodation, community access and respite and consult on and implement an Individual Support Services Change Management Plan.

The Terms of Reference
The terms of reference for the review outline the terms and conditions for the review.
Terms of Reference 16KB
Terms of Reference 21KB

More information on Future Directions: A Framework for the ACT 2004 - 08

Challenge 2014 - A ten year vision for disability in the ACT