Calling for NDIS access for people with CF In June 2020, our Australian CF Hub initiated a campaign to improve access to the NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) for people with cystic fibrosis (CF). Adults with CF from around Australia worked together to prepare a submission to the Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on the NDIS. To date very few people with CF have been able to access the NDIS. This is despite many people with CF answering yes to all the eligibility questions on the NDIS checklist. We are confident that with strong advocacy people with CF will be able to access the appropriate supports and services we need to proactively manage CF, reach our goals, and fully participate in society now and in the future. In our submission we requested the Committee urgently discuss why people with CF are being denied access to the NDIS. We made four key recommendations:
You can view our full submission here: The Australian CF Community rallied behind us We invited the Australian CF community to make individual submissions to the Joint Standing Committee on the NDIS. Many adults with CF, and parents of people with CF, told their stories and shared their lived experiences. They explained how accessing NDIS funded supports and services will:
Cystic Fibrosis Federation Members Submission We reached out to our Australian CF organisations and asked them to support our NDIS campaign. We are extremely thankful to Julia Langrehr (EO, Cystic Fibrosis South Australia) and our Australian Cystic Fibrosis organisations (Cystic Fibrosis South Australia, Cystic Fibrosis Queensland, Cystic Fibrosis ACT, Cystic Fibrosis Tasmania, Cystic Fibrosis Community Care (Vic/NSW) and Cystic Fibrosis Australia) for preparing a strong agency-based submission to the Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on the NDIS in a very short space of time. What happens next? The Joint Standing Committee on the NDIS is currently considering all the submissions and evidence submitted to the recent inquiry: General issues around the implementation and performance of the NDIS. They are preparing a report for government. This report is officially required after June 30, 2021 but it’s likely to be completed by the end of this year or early next year. In their report, the Committee can make recommendations to the Government and the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA). The Government has six months to respond. The whole process could take twelve months or more. We need NDIS access sooner rather than later The COVID-19 pandemic has increased many of the barriers and challenges people with CF face. People with CF need NDIS access sooner rather than later. Since the Government can make changes to the NDIS at any point in time it is worth continuing to advocate. Add your voice to the call for action Petrina (CEO, Cystic Fibrosis Queensland) will be meeting with the Minister for the NDIS, MP Stuart Robert, on the 26 November, 2020. Petrina will be advocating for cystic fibrosis inclusion in the NDIS on behalf of all Australians with CF. She will deliver letters from our Australian CF community directly to MP Stuart Robert. Follow our public facebook page for updates.
Posted by Pia
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The Australian CF Hub strives to present a diversity of viewpoints. We encourage respectful and open discussion. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in each blog post belong solely to the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian CF Hub team or other adults with CF. Archives
May 2021
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