The National Disability Insurance Scheme - The Launch Sites
The Launch Sites
The Launch SitesAt this stage, only two sites (Hunter and Barwon) are accepting people with psychosocial disability associated with mental illness.
From July 1 2014, the Western Australian and ACT sites will accept participants with psychosocial disability associated with mental illness.
The South Australian launch site is restricted to participants aged up to four years, while the South Australian launch site is restricted to people between 15 and 24 years.
Information can be found below on:
- Intergovernmental agreements
- Background information on each launch site
- Administrative arrangements for the transitioning of participants into the NDIS
- Registered support providers in the launch sites
Intergovernmental agreements
- Australian Capital Territory
- Northern Territory
- Queensland will transition to full scheme from 2016. No details on a Queensland launch site are available.
- South Australia
- Tasmania
- New South Wales
- Victoria
- Western Australia - a two year launch of the scheme will commence in Western Australia on 1 July 2014.
Background information on each launch site
NSW (Hunter)
The NSW Aged, Disability and Home Care website has some information on the NDIS launch site in the Hunter region and how people will be transitioned into the scheme including Fact Sheets.
On 3 July 2013, Minister for Ageing and Disability Services Andrew Constance released the Living Life My Way Framework which will guide the expansion of opportunities for people to exercise choice and control over their supports as NSW transitions to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). While the NDIS is being launched in the Hunter, the NSW Government will continue to implement its Stronger Together 2 reforms to ensure people with disability and service providers are positioned to move seamlessly to the NDIS.
An overview of the operational arrangements for the Hunter launch site is also available on the NDIS website.
Victoria (Barwon)
The Victorian Government has outlined the transitional arrangements for the NDIS in Victoria from the launch to the full implementation. The need to build the capacity of people with disabilities and their carers/families to participate in the scheme is noted.
The Department of Human Services (Disability Victoria) website includes information on the starting point for accessing services for people with disabilities. It is not mental health specific.
Western Australia
The Western Australian Department of Disability has published a fact sheet that provides an overview of how the NDIS and My Way launch sites will operate as well as the estimated cost of the twin pilot which will commence on 1 July 2014 in two locations, Rockingham-Kwinana and the Perth Hills.
South Australia
The South Australian Government has established a web page for its launch site activities.
Additional information about the South Australian launch site is also available on the NDIS website.
Tasmania
On 2 May 2013 the Tasmanian Premier and the Prime Minister signed an agreement for the launch of the NDIS in Tasmania. The state-wide NDIS launch will provide support to all Tasmanians with disability between the ages of 15 to 24 who are assessed as eligible to receive individual funding arrangements or packages of support through an NDIS. It is estimated that the launch will provide support to approximately 1000 current and potential clients. While the MHCA does not anticipate that large numbers people with psychosocial disability will be assessed as eligible for support through the NDIS in Tasmania (due to the age cohort during the launch phase), the Tasmanian launch site will provide interesting lessons about what kinds of early intervention supports might be funded through the NDIS.
To ensure that Tasmanians with disability, carers and the disability services sector all have a voice in the reform process the Premier has established a Working Group of community stakeholders to assist with transition planning for the National Disability Insurance Scheme for Tasmanians.
The Working Group meets approximately every 6-8 weeks and includes membership from the following organisations:
- Premier’s Disability Advisory Council
- Minister’s Disability Advisory Council
- NDIS Tasmania Taskforce
- National People with Disability and Carers Council
- NDS Tasmania
- St Giles
- Carers Tasmania
- Baptcare Tasmania
- Mission Australia
The Tasmanian Government has established the following website which contains information about the launch site as well as links to the agreements detailing how and when Tasmania will transition to the full scheme.
Additional information about the Tasmanian launch-site is available on the NDIS website.
For information about Tasmania’s disability services system (not mental health specific) including how to access respite services for carers see the Department of Health and Human Services website.
ACT
The ACT has implemented an enhanced service offer for people with disabilities including people with lived experience of mental illness and psychosocialdisability and their carers and supporters. The enhanced service offer included applications for individualised funding grants for resources to assist people with disabilities. The ACT will also be hosting a series of forums, information sessions and workshops to ensure that people are better informed about the NDIS and ready to manage the transition to individualised funding and self-directed supports. More information can be found here.
The DHCS has also constructed a website that outlines the arrangements for the launch of the NDIS in the ACT from 1 July 2014.
An overview of the ACT launch-site arrangements is also available on the DisabilityCare Australia website.
NT
The Australian and Northern Territory Governments have signed a Heads of Agreement to launch the NDIS in the Barkly (Tennant Creek) region from 1 July 2014. The NT Government has not yet constructed a website to provide information about the launch-site but general details are contained in following media release.
Administrative arrangements for the transitioning of participants into the NDIS
Hunter (NSW)
Barwon (Vic)
Tasmania
South Australia
Registered support providers in the launch sites
In order to receive funding to provide services to NDIS participants, providers must register with the NDIA. While there are some concerns about how robust the registration process is and what, if any, standards providers are required to meet in order to receive NDIS funding, the list of registered providers gives people access to information about which services operate in each launch site.
