Autism Aspergers Advocacy Australia (A4) is concerned that the NDIA does not include registered behavioural clinicians on its disability services price list. This exclusion sends a clear message to NDIS planners and delegates that they should not include behavior supports in an individual's NDIS plan. For many autistic people (and some people with other disability types) behaviour support is essential. So excluding behavioural clinicians from the NDIS price list denies many autistic people essential disability services and supports.
I can confirm that the Agency has received your below Freedom of Information (FOI) request and please find attached correspondence in relation to that request.
I can also confirm that the Agency has received five other requests from you seeking information under FOI, dated between 22 May 2018 and today, and will be providing responses in due course.
In the last paragraph of this letter (MS18-000877, 23/5/2018), the Minister appears to commit to "extensive consultation with stakeholders and the community" before making any changes to NDIS operational guidelines (that affect access and eligibility).
Re: Letter from Minister Stephen-Smith
Sun, 8 Apr 2018 12:03:58 +1000
Bob Buckley (A4 Convenor <convenor@a4.org.au>
Autism Aspergers Advocacy Australia (A4)
Minister R. Stephen-Smith MLA
ACT Legislative Assembly
Thank you for your reply and for your apparent intervention.
Please note that I met with Mss Faulkner, McClelland and O'Neill in January 2018 (and previously in December 2016) with the alleged purpose "to discuss [A4's] concerns"; but the meetings were not discussions. I explained what happened in the latest meeting in my previous letter; the NDIA officials were unprepared for the meetings so they did not discuss A4's concerns related to early intervention for autistic children.
While I explained again A4's concerns early intervention for autistic children in the "meeting", the subsequent letter from Ms Faulkner, ostensibly to summarise "the discussion", omitted all the concerns that I raised (in both the meeting and preceding letters). Ms Faulkner's follow-up letter shows clearly that the NDIA officials did not recognise (or summarise) any of A4's concerns.
