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AQA CAAS SURVEY - A System in Crisis?(from Quadwrangle - the official journal of the Australian Quadriplegic Association) Winter 2000) The Continence Aids Assistance Scheme (CAAS) is a Commonwealth funded scheme which provides $450 per annum to assist with the purchase of continence equipment. There have been major problems with both the running and level of funding of CAAS. In July last year AQA was inundated with complaints about how CAAS was being run, with PQ Lifestyles bearing the brunt of much of this criticism. Many people also mentioned that they believed that there was a need for additional funding and, in light of this, AQA conducted a survey to determine what people who use CAAS thought their level of funding should be. AQA interviewed 100 AQA members, from every State and Territory across Australia, with regional, rural and metropolitan areas all covered. The results of the survey highlighted that the present allowance of $450 is inadequate. 68% of respondents stated that their allocation does not last a year. Another 13% stated that they made their allocation last by restricting their usage or by not using goods they believe they need. In other words, 81% of respondents need a larger CAAS allowance. The CAAS allocation is not just inadequate, but for the majority of respondents it is alarmingly so - 57% of respondents run out of supplies in 9 months or less. This leaves people little option but to pay for their own continence supplies - or do without. The results obtained also show that things are getting worse, which is to be expected as the CAAS allowance has not been increased to allow for inflation. 69% of respondents found that their allowance did not last as Long as it did 5 years ago. 11% of respondents were not on the CAAS Scheme 5 years ago and" this question was not relevant. The people who use CAAS know what they need and were asked how much allowance they believed require each year. The average was $700. What we found out from the survey is that there is an urgent need for the Federal Government to increase CAAS allocation. People with severe physical disabilities are once again being forced to beg for supplies - a situation that needs to be changed as soon as possible. Since completing our survey we have heard the news that CAAS was transferred from the Department of Family and Community Services, which administers disability funding programs, to the Community Care Branch in Aged and Community Care Division within the Department of Health and Aged Care. Here it will come together with the National Continence Management Strategy which is part of the Staying at Home, Care and Support for Older Australians package. People with disabilities cannot but agree with AQA's deep concern that "the continence program will take on a 'general' focus and overlook the unique needs of people with physical disabilities, especially with high support needs" ATTENDANT CARE AND NSW BUDGETIn our last Bulletin we indicated that the Attendant Care waiting list is increasing because "people are moving away from the Home Care Service". The correct wording should have been that people are SEEKING to move away from the Home Care service and putting their names on the Attendant Care waiting list. We also indicated that the Home Care Service prefers dealing with low support needs clients. We should clarify that it is not head office policy to prefer low support need aged clients. We stand by our view that the actual reality on the ground in too many (but not all) branches is a revealed preference for low support need clients. Our evidence for both these statements come from our regional and our metropolitan consultations, as well as officers from service organisations who directly deal with people on the ground. PDCN will in the course of the next three months prepare a paper summarising our findings from our consultations and the implications of these for Personal Assistance to People with Physical Disabilities. This will include our own review of all home and community assistance programs - including Home Care and Attendant Care. FAMILIES CONSULTATION - Federal Government Instutionalisation Agenda?The National Caucus of Disability Consumer Organisations (NCDCO) has been asked by the Commonwealth Department of Family and Community Services to undertake consultations with family members of people with a disability. The consultation seeks to find out from families their preferred option (or mechanisms) to enable their interests and views to be represented at a national level. The notion of a voice for parents is something PDCN is committed to. This commitment is shown by having 3 representatives of children on the Management Committee, having children's issues as one of PDCN's priority issues, was shown in the high profile taken over Scarlett Finney. We cannot however go along with the notion of a single parents' group representing children with disabilities. The ultimate logic is that there should be only one group representing all people with all disabilities - physical, intellectual, psychiatric. Such a policy makes no sense because the crucial aspect of disability is the wide range of difference, the wide range of needs, the wide range of forms of discrimination etc. In addition, we know that all too often, the interests of the child and the interest of the parent conflict. A single parents' peak will provide a stronger voice for institutionalisation and dependence as opposed to integration and independence. This is a backward looking view that is advocated by some parents in desperation. The answer to this desperation and to the enormous stress put on parents is adequate supports in the community - not insitutionalisation. Support at schools; money to therapy, respite, PADP; counselling for stress and family breakdown; hope for employment and independence. Institutionalisation stands for apartheid, dependence, a humane form of euthanasia, gaol. How many parents of a 5 year old child will understand that in their desperation and stress. PDCN will also be voicing its concern at the obscenely short notice given for the consultation. Such short is unacceptable, inconsistent with government consultation protocols, and that as a result, calls into questions the legitimacy of the consultation. The consultations will be conducted by family members and are strictly for family members. You can have your say by:
ORTA and KendellPDCN's submission to HREOC regarding ORTA's application for exemption from the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act is one of over 70 submissions that were posted on the HREOC web site by Tuesday's deadline. The PDCN submission can be downloaded from www.pdcnsw.org.au/publish/00/ORTA.html Our 8-page submission argues point by point why ORTA's application should not be granted. We're clearly not alone in thinking this. HREOC's choice is fairly clear. Do the right thing or cave in to the astonishing gall of an Olympic Roads and Transport Authority that exhibits little regard for responsible execution of its duties. We pose this question. If HREOC was a lecturer in law, rather than an arm of Australian justice, would HREOC give a lazy student who has not done their assignment , and has not shown any evidence of even trying to do their assignment, a passing grade? Should it make a difference if that lazy student gives HREOC the virtually laughable excuse (except it's not funny) about not having enough time, despite lots and lots of warning about the deadline? Or would HREOC, the law lecturer give the arrogant and lazy student a passing grade, albeit with clenched teeth, because to not do so would risk alienating the lazy students' parents? We shall see! Putting aside for the moment our anger at ORTA'S outrageous application for exemption, we want to raise again our fear that the DDA is becoming less and less valuable to people with disability. We do not intend to repeat arguments about jurisdiction that were lost 18 months ago. (Not in this bulletin anyway). We are very seriously concerned that the ORTA application is exposing fundamental flaws in both the DDA and the mechanisms - the institutions, the consultative processes, the interpretive powers - that determine whether or not equal rights legislation is a guard dog with teeth or sad, old toothless wonder. ORTA's application for exemption is important in its own right. For many of us, however, it represents a key test of the organisational and political will to seriously address discrimination against people with disability. Our submission regarding the Kendell Airlines application for exemption is also now on the PDCN Web site. Watch this space CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY FORUM ON PARALYMPICSCASA is holding a safety forum on 27th June from 9.00am to 5.00pm at the Sheraton Sydney Airport Hotel in Mascot on operational and safety issues associated with the carriage of large numbers of "passengers with reduced mobility" during the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games. CASA aims to gather together specialists to develop practical procedural guidelines relating to the "carriage of special need passengers" during the Paralympics. CASA is responding to queries from airline operators who are worried about what they are meant to do with respect to Civil Aviation Orders and Regulations governing the carriage of "handicapped persons". CASA almost pre-empts the results of the forum by stating that it is "reasonable to assume that the current regulations were designed with individual passenger cases in mind, and not unique situations like the Paralympics" Good morning! The airlines have woken up to a 5 year slumber! They have finally realised that there will be a "unique event coming up", and they are not prepared. We are about to have a forum with less than 100 days to the "unique event"! The airlines have presumably calculated that with their paltry excuse for an application for exemption from the provision of the DDA having gone nowhere in 1999, it is time to argue for special consideration on safety grounds, hoping that the safety factor will dominate the disability factor. Never mind - we'll just have to put up with Australia becoming a laughing stock! Pity that SOCOG will not be able to commandeer accessible planes from the USA and that airports will not be able to commandeer lifting devices! We need people with physical disabilities at the forum. If you can make it, RSVP directly to CASA by Tuesday 20th June (sorry about the lack of notice) to Leighee Gray on (02) 6217 1375 or by fax (02) 6217 1950 or by Email mailto: renee.hindson@casa.gov.au with details on your name, organisation, telephone, fax, e-mail and postal address. Please also let us know at mailto: pdcnsw@pdcnsw.org.au so we have an idea of how many people with physical disabilities will be there. POLLING BOOTH ACCESS(from David Morrell, at Disability Action Inc. in South Australia) National standards will be set for polling booths to improve access for people with physical disabilities following an inquiry by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. Deputy Disability Commissioner Mr. Graeme Innes said the inquiry into polling booth access for people with disabilities was sparked by a complaint from Newcastle woman following the 1999 Newcastle local government elections. The woman's parents, who had been unable to access local polling booths, had eventually been able to vote from their car. Mr. Innes said voting from a car outside a polling booth was inappropriate and undignified'' and postal voting was an unsatisfactory long-term solution for people with disabilities. eCOMMERCE(from David Mason, Director of Disability Rights Policy, HREOC) The report of HREOC's inquiry into
access to eCommerce for people with disabilities and older
people has now been tabled by the Attorney-General and is
available via the disability rights section of the HREOC
site See also PDCN is looking for an interested volunteer to analyse and summarise the report from a physical disability perspective. MAINSTREAM SPORT AND PHYSICAL ACITIVTY OPPORTUNITIESThe NSW Dept of Sport & Recreation and the Motor Accidents Authority are running a joint initiative called Active and Able to provide opportunities for people with a disability, particularly those acquired through a motor vehicle accident, to participate in mainstream sport and physical activity. There are 8 projects throughout NSW. Each project is currently running and all are looking for people with a disability, particularly those with Acquired Brain Injury, to participate in the projects. For information on what maybe available in your area (the type of sports covered i.e. sailing, fitness raining, cricket etc.) or a brochure contact Karen Truskett-Jones at the NSW Dept of Sport & Recreation on (02) 9923 4228, TTY (02) 9923 4265, Fax (02) 9923 4237 or E-mail ktruskett@dsr.nsw.gov.au HACC REFORM POSITION VACANTSutherland Shire Community Care Network (SSCCN) Inc is seeking an enthusiastic & energetic person to work with HACC & related care providers in Sutherland & St George areas. The worker will assist service providers to implement HACC Reforms, Client Information & Referral Record (CIaRR), Minimum Data Set (MDS) & Comprehensive Assessment. We have been unable to find a suitable applicant for the HACC Reform position covering St George and Sutherland. We need the right person ASAP. Do you know anyone who may be interested? Southern Sydney is a very nice area and without sounding too modest, the HACC services and HACC DOs in St George and Sutherland Shire are a fairly easygoing, pleasant group of people to work with! If you care interested, call Melinda Patterson on (0v2) 9542 6244. SSCCN will also negotiate with consultants or workers interested in a secondment from their current job. TAXI SURVEYThe Physical Disability Council of South Australia is to conduct a national survey of taxis from a consumer's perspective hoping that the survey will provide valuable information to a network of consumers with physical disabilities, to be used to improve quality of service on a State-by-State basis as well as at the National level. The 25-question Survey is available by clicking on www.pdcnsw.org.au/TaxiSurvey.doc. There seems to be some urgency to the survey as PDCSA would like the surveys returned within 14 days. Could you return responses to PDCN either through email - pdcnsw@pdcnsw.org.au or to our postal address below. Dougie Herd, Executive Officer
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1606 PDC NSW Inc is funded by the NSW Government's Ageing and Disability Department. Views expressed by PDC NSW Inc are not necessarily endorsed by the NSW Government.
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