By bobb |
Bill Shorten (head shot)

Dan Holmes

People with Disabilities Australia has expressed concern some people with autism will fall between the cracks of the NDIS and the future foundational supports.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has published updates on 43 out of 55 National Disability Strategy metrics.

Of these, 14 are improving, 13 are getting worse and 16 remain unchanged.

Community and housing metrics have been newly added, showing how the housing crisis has hit people with disabilities in Australia.

People with disabilities are more likely than the general population to be reliant on social housing. Figures from earlier this year showed 36% of social housing households included at least one person with a disability.

The public housing waitlist has reached 637 days, up by more than 200 days since 2021.

Accessibility metrics are mixed. The number of people who said they had trouble accessing a public building progressed, falling from 31% to 26%.

Government buildings performed even better, with only 5.2% saying they had trouble with access.

See AIHW data.

Four updated metrics on formal and community supports show cause for concern.

The number of people with disabilities saying their needs are fully met has fallen from 72% to 62% since 2018.

The number of people receiving assistive technologies, and saying they don’t need additional aids are regressing.

Carer satisfaction with the supports available is also declining.

Most of the data predates changes to the NDIS this year, this does not encompass the way that has affected people’s perception of the support available to them.

The most controversial of these is diagnoses no longer being sufficient to gain entry to the scheme with some psychosocial conditions.

As the primary diagnosis for more than a third of NDIS participants, autism has been the most discussed of these.

People with Disabilities Australia (PWDA) has expressed concern some people with autism will fall between the cracks of the NDIS and the future foundational supports.

PWDA president Marayke Jonkers said the government failed to consult on NDIA reform.

She said people with disabilities’ lives will be worse as a result.

“We are deeply disappointed with the outcome. These reforms will make it harder for people with disability to participate in our schools, workplaces, and communities,” she said.

“Our community is worried about what our future looks like.”

from https://www.themandarin.com.au/279822-national-disability-strategy-growing-pain/