National Assessment and Resource Allocation Framework
Demand Management
Workforce Capacity (Completed)
NDA Website (Completed)
Committee Chair: Victoria INTRODUCTION: The issue of appropriate accommodation services and housing for people with disabilities is addressed in the National Disability Administrators (NDA) Workplan for the Implementation of the Commonwealth-State/Territory Disability Agreement (CSTDA) under the key priority area of Strengthening access to generic services through improving access for people with disabilities to housing.
AIM: The NDA research project discussed here aims to build on existing knowledge and gain a more comprehensive understanding of the extent and nature of the issues concerning accommodation services and housing for people with disabilities. The overall objective of this research project is to improve service delivery to people with disabilities.
RESEARCH APPROACH: The research will consist of two parts, aimed at:
- progressing discussions by the National Disability Administrators (NDA) and to inform initiatives under the bilateral agreements with regard to people with disabilities whose care needs have been typically met in staffed community group homes;
- providing information regarding current and emerging strategies and initiatives and provide an evidence base to inform policy direction in this area to enable greater access for people with disabilities to community housing;
- enabling the development of specialist disability services to be targeted in a way that complements and addresses areas of service gap for people with disabilities accessing generic housing services and facilitates their social and economic participation in the community; and
- determining the cost-effectiveness of different service options for people with disabilities who require 24 hour care.
Short Report
Full Report
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Committee Chair: Western Australia
AIM: The aim of this research project is to provide advice to all jurisdictions in respect to appropriate, best practice, service and funding models for the range of services provided to meet the specific needs of people with disabilities who are ageing.
RESEARCH APPROACH: To achieve this, the following areas will be explored:
- the profile of people with disabilities who are ageing;
- an understanding of the existing models of support, services and funding, as they are managed in and between the various sectors who provide for this group;
- the nature of changed needs as a result of ageing;
- the existence, or potential development of, alternative models of support and funding; and
- the identification of key concerns and specific amendments to existing funding and service models to allow for appropriate change which will benefit this group.
The research will involve a review of service models and approaches that target people with disabilities who are ageing, giving consideration to the interface with health and aged care services. The research will provide evidence to progress national discussions on policy and funding issues impacting on people with disabilities who are ageing.
PROPOSED OUTCOMES: The research presents an opportunity to look at the current capacity of services to meet the needs of people with disabilities who are ageing and their likely capacity in the future to meet the needs of people with disabilities to age positively. The research will act as a status or progress report, in relation to people with a disability who are ageing overall, those living in the community or in disability supported accommodation but also in terms of specific sub-populations.
Full Report
Short Report
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Employment innovation for High Support Needs Clients
(NDA 2.1R)
Committee Chair: South Australia
The aim of this project is to identify successful employment models and strategies for people with high support needs.
Project brief being developed
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Monitoring Employment and Day Options Reforms
(NDA 2.1aR)
Committee Chair: South Australia
Project brief being developed
Committee Chair: New South Wales
INTRODUCTION: There are growing concerns around the number of younger people in residential aged care. These concerns relate to the appropriateness of such accommodation for younger people; the availability of more appropriate support models for younger people with high support needs, including those who may require medical or clinical support; and access for younger people with disabilities in residential aged care to other disability support services such as recreation and day options. This issue highlights a number of complex interfaces across jurisdictions, specifically across the aged care, health, disability and housing programs.
AIM: The aim of this research project is to progress discussions by the NDA and to inform initiatives under the bilateral agreements with regard to young people in nursing homes and people with disabilities with high clinical care needs.
RESEARCH APPROACH: For the purposes of this study, the main target group will include people 50 years and under: who are eligible for services as defined under the CSTDA; who require high levels of nursing or related supports; and who live in residential aged care services; or who have been ACAT assessed and approved as eligible to enter Residential Aged Care.
The project is anticipated to be progressed in three parts.
Part 1: to identify and map the characteristics of younger people in residential aged care, including: their demographic profile; differentiating characteristics; factors contributing to the referral and / or entry of younger people into residential aged care and exit pathways; support needs and disability profile across key age and demographic groupings; age at initial entry and length of time resident in residential aged care; and trends and patterns of referral over time.
Part 2: a literature review of local and international service and funding models which specifically support younger people with high clinical care needs and provide an alternative to residential aged care.
Part 3: a description and analysis of existing service models specifically designed to meet the needs of younger people with high clinical care needs across the disability, health, community and aged care sectors and which provide an alternative to residential aged care. This review may include a demographic profile of consumers and map alternative pathways for younger people with disabilities with high support needs. It may also identify aspects of the model which contribute to its effectiveness compared to other models.
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Children and Young People with a Disability
(NDA 3.2R)
Committee Chair: New South Wales
AIM: This research project aims to build on existing knowledge and gain a comprehensive understanding of the extent and nature of the issues concerning the development of resilience to sustain families through key transition points. The overall objective of this research project is to improve service delivery to children with a disability aged 0-8 years.
RESEARCH APPROACH: The research will consist of four parts, aimed at:
- Part 1 - Defining family resiliency and describing the evidence base that should underpin practice in the area of family resiliency in the 0-8 age range.
- Part 2 - Comparing and contrasting service models to define elements of practice that build family resiliency.
- Part 3 - Presenting appropriate tool/s to measure resiliency in families who have a child with a diability.
- Part 4 - Identifying practice elements that are crucial to maintaining family resilience during key transition points.
PROPOSED OUTCOMES: The research presents an opportunity to determine a clear definition of family resiliency in the 0-8 age range. Elements of practice that build family resiliency may be presented in a framework or series of performance indicators. It is envisaged that service providers will be given a range of recommended tools that measure family resiliency that can inform their practice and drive service improvements.
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Building Culturally Secure Services for Indigenous Australians with a Disability
(NDA 3.4R)
Committee Chair: New South Wales
INTRODUCTION: The cultural competence of ‘mainstream’ disability advocacy services is varied and, where they exist, advocacy services have very limited penetration beyond main metropolitan or regional centres. As a result, some of the most vulnerable consumer population living in rural and remote areas are not able to access any form of advocacy support. A major barrier for Indigenous Australians with a disability to access supports and services is the lack of cultural competence of many disability service providers.
AIM: To build on existing knowledge and gain a more comprehensive understanding of the extent and nature of the issues concerning the appropriate provision of services to Indigenous Australians with a disability. The overall objective of this research project is to improve service delivery to Indigenous people with disabilities.
RESEARCH APPROACH: The research will consist of three parts, aimed at:
- building the cultural competency of disability staff;
- developing curricula and training modules to attract Indigenous Australians into gaining disability-related qualifications, to ultimately increase the number of Indigenous people employed in the disability sector; and
- enhancing the role of advocacy in facilitating access to services by Indigenous Australians with disabilities.
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National Assessment and Resource Allocation Framework
(NDA 4.1R)
Committee Chair: South Australia
INTRODUCTION: The assessment of eligibility, need, priority and service response for people with disabilities, and the management of demand, is a complex process underpinned by a plethora of moral, ethical, financial and practical considerations. In the Australian context this process is also influenced by past practices and resourcing in each jurisdiction.
AIM: The aim of this research is to develop a flexible, nationally-consistent system which ensures a fair, transparent, consistent and rationale-based allocation of resources that will also assist in understanding and managing demand for disability services.
RESEARCH APPROACH: The project as proposed has four stages.
Stage 1: the development of a national resource allocation and assessment framework, which describes the relationship between eligibility, need, resource allocation, service response and demand management.
Stage 2: the development of a tool kit for assessment within the context of this framework, by evaluating existing assessment tools against the framework. As appropriate, recommend the development of new or improved tools if existing or required tools are deemed to be unavailable or inadequate; develop and evaluate an improved assessment tool kit, drawing upon data from international and national sources.
Stage 3: examine and evaluate existing service responses in light of the assessment framework and tool kit. Examine the true cost of providing disability services including an examination of ways of achieving efficiency gains and exploring alternative pricing arrangements. This will be based on an agreed rationale for funding reform.
Stage 4: examine the impact of the National Resource Assessment and Allocation Framework and Toolkit on demand management. Identify strategies and best practice with a view to a national approach to demand management which allows for flexible, but consistent management of demand across jurisdictions.
PROPOSED OUTCOMES: This research is expected to produce a nationally consistent framework that will deliver the following outcomes:
- the efficient and fair allocation of resources based on identified need and priority;
- the capacity to have the same framework/system in different jurisdictions;
- a reduction in the current ad-hoc approaches to resource allocation based on history, subjective judgement or political imperative; and
- a nationally consistent, but flexible framework for assessment.
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Demand Management
(NDA 4.1aR)
Committee Chair: Queensland
Project brief being developed
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Committee Chair: Queensland
INTRODUCTION: The community services industry is experiencing growth across all levels and sectors, including the disability sector. Due to this growth, difficulties in the recruitment and retention of direct support staff, therapists, professionals, managers and support staff have been recognised as a current and future problem for several jurisdictions.
AIM: The aim of this research is to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the extent and nature of the workplace capacity issues in the disability sector.
FINDINGS FROM SCOPING RESEARCH: Based on a preliminary scoping exercise undertaken by the NDA Research and Development Coordinator, a preliminary understanding of the extent and nature of workplace capacity issues in the disability sector has now been reached. Some of the most important issues identified from this study include: a forecast increase in the client base for both the disability and aged care sectors, with a resulting reduction in the pool of applicants; a need for a consistent standard of quality of care for clients in the disability sector; inconsistent use of high volume recruitment strategies across jurisdictions; a lack of understanding of the potential impact of an ageing workforce; difficulty in recruiting and retaining certain sub-groups of the workforce; and a current undertaking for levels of training to become consistent across jurisdictions and across the sector.
RESEARCH APPROACH: A further consulting project is proposed to meet the following objectives:
- an analysis of the true impact of an ageing workforce on the disability sector;
- the development of a strategic, sector-wide approach to recruitment into the future, that is, not only making government-funded disability services an 'employer of choice', but making disability an 'industry of choice';
- a strategic analysis of recruitment practices, with a focus on developing best-practice strategies for recruiting high quality applicants; and
- a strategic assessment of training strategies, with a focus on improving standards industry-wide.
Full Report
Summary Report
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INTRODUCTION: The communication and sharing of research findings is crucial to maintaining a strong research culture across the disability sector, and to maximize the outcomes and findings from national research.
AIM: To develop a website for the dissemination of NDA and other relevant reports and as a way to foster research discussion of the NDA policy priorities.
Project completed July 2005
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For more information on any of these projects, please contact the Secretariat
Email: DPRWG.Secretariat@dhs.vic.gov.au or Tel: (03) 9096 7937
