Source: Australian Senate

8 February 2007

The Senate Community Affairs Committee today and tabled its unanimous report on its enquiry into the funding and operation of the Commonwealth State Territory Disability Agreement (CSTDA).  The CSTDA provides the national framework for the delivery, funding and development of specialist disability services for people with disabilities.  The current CSTDA expires on 30 June 2007.

During the enquiry Committee received evidence, particularly from people with disabilities and their carers, which indicated that high levels of unmet need for disability services continue to exist in Australia.  The key recommendation of the report urges the Commonwealth State and Territory Governments to jointly commit substantial additional funding as part of the next CSTDA to address identified unmet need for disability services, particularly for accommodation services.

The Committee has also made a number of other recommendations aimed at improving the CSTDA, including the coordination of service delivery, the portability of services, the flexibility of interface and the need for a nationally consistent outcomes-based performance monitoring framework.

The recommendations are attached to the full report may be accessed at: www.aph.gov.au/SENATE_ca or from the Committee Secretariat or Senate Table Office.

For further information please contact: Senator Gary Humphries, Committee Chair - 02 6277 3446, Elton Humphery, Committee Secretary- 02 6277 3515.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Primary Recommendation

Recommendation 21

4.150  That State and Territory Governments jointly commit as part of the fourth CSTDA to substantial additional funding to address identified unmet need for specialist disability services, particularly for accommodation services and support.

Chapter 3

Recommendation 1

3.25  that State and Territory governments provide a specific service that assists people with disability transferring between jurisdictions to negotiate programs and services to achieve a comparable level of support.

Recommendation 2

3.30  That the next CSTDA clearly recognize the complex and indirect the needs of, and specialist services required by, people with dual and multiple diagnosis, and people with acquired brain injury.

Recommendation 3

3.65  that the next CSTDA should include -

• A whole of government, whole of life approach to services for people with disabilities.
• A partnership between governments, service providers and the disability community to set policy priorities and improve outcomes for people with disability.
• A clear allocation of funding and administration responsibilities based on the most effective arrangements for the delivery of specialist disability services.
• A clear articulation of the services and support that people with disability will be able to access.
• A commitment to regular independent monitoring of the performance of governments and service providers.
• A transparent and clear mechanism to enable people with disability and their carers to identify and understand which level of government is responsible for the provision and funding of services.

Recommendation 4

3.66  That in the life of the next CSTDA, signatories agreed to develop a National Disability Strategy which would function as a high-level strategic policy document, designed to address the complexity of needs of people with disability and their carers in all aspects of their lives.

Recommendation 5

3.79  That the next CSTDA incorporate a nationally consistent assessment process to objectively and comprehensively determine the support and care needs of each person with a disability.  These assessment processes should also assist people with disability by making determinations of eligibility for services and priority of need as well as facilitating access to appropriate services.

Recommendation 6

3.84  That the Commonwealth, State and territory governments ensure that:

• administrative burdens of assessment procedures are reduced for those with lifelong and permanent disabilities and their carers; and
• flexible assessment options are available to people with disabilities who have needs that may change rapidly.

Recommendation 7

3.98  Given the reality that a large proportion of costs in disability services will always be wages and salaries of care providers, the committee strongly recommends that the Commonwealth consider removing the efficiency dividend from the indexation formula for funds allocated through the CSTDA. 

Recommendation 8

3.101  That the Commonwealth set an indexation level in line with the actual cost of delivering services.  This rate should be applied as a minimum indexation rate by State and Territory Governments.

Recommendation 9

3.106  That the next CSTDA incorporate appropriate benchmarks and annual targets in relation to identified unmet need for specialist disability services.

Recommendation 10

3.111  that the next CSTDA ensure 'matched funding' commitments do not provide a disincentive for governments to provide additional funding for specialist disability services.

Recommendation 11

3.119  That the Commonwealth have responsibility in the lead up to the next CSTDA for developing an equitable distribution formula of Commonwealth based funding which takes into account differences between States and Territories in terms of potential population and cost of service delivery.

Recommendation 12

3.120  That, in addition to that funding "platform", arrangements be put in place to allow specific services or programs to be initiated on the basis of cost sharing or matched funding between the Commonwealth and particular State and Territory governments which commit additional funding for specialist disability services.

Recommendation 13

3.134  That realistic outcomes-based performance reporting requirements be added to the CSTDA.

Recommendation 14

3.135  That the Commonwealth take the lead in developing consistent cross jurisdictional performance monitoring and reporting of specialist disability services to promote greater coordination and accountability between jurisdictions.

Chapter 4

Recommendation 15

4.44  that additional funding be made available under the next CSTDA to:

• enable further analysis using the CSTDA data collections, to better inform policy makers and the public about the effectiveness of disability services; and
• enable jurisdictions and service providers to improve CSTDA and NMDS data.

Recommendation 16

4.45  That the Commonwealth ensure that outcomes data is included in the CSTDA National Minimum Dataset.

Recommendation 17

4.103  That the Commonwealth, State and Territory governments implement a national equipment strategy as part of the next CSTDA.

Recommendation 18

4.108  That the next CSTDA include a commitment of additional funding for early intervention.

Recommendation 19

4.131  That the Commonwealth increased the number of places in the Disability Employment Network for people on the Disability Support Pension who do not have mutual obligation requirements. 

Recommendation 20

4.136  That the importance of access to appropriate transport and Patient Assisted Travel Schemes for people with disabilities be reflected in the terms of the next CSTDA.

Recommendation 21

4.150  That the Commonwealth, State and Territory governments jointly commit as part of the fourth CSTDA to substantial additional funding to address identified unmet need for specialist disability services, particularly for accommodation services and support.

Chapter 5

Recommendation 22

5.50  That funding arrangements and eligibility requirements should be made to allow supplemental aged care services to be made available to people with disabilities who are ageing, allowing them to age in place.  Administrative funding arrangements should not impede access to aged care services for people with a disability who are ageing.

Recommendation 23

5.57  Access to generic services should continue to be a priority for the next CSTDA, particularly access to health care services.

Recommendation 24

5.69  that the Commonwealth, State and Territory governments, as part of their commitment to lifelong planning for people with disabilities, ensure:

• that transitional arrangement options are available for people with disabilities who are cared for by ageing family members; and
• that there are adequate options for people with a disability and their carers to plan for their futures.

Chapter 6

Recommendation 25

6.30  That a review of alternative funding arrangements be undertaken through the research and development programme of the next CSTDA which specifically considers, amongst other elements:

• the likely costs and benefits of individualised funding;
• the issues encountered in the introduction of alternative funding overseas;
• provisions and alternatives to allow people with disabilities to choose the level of self sufficiency with which they are comfortable;
• the provision of decision support tools and services to assist people with disabilities, their families and carers.

That the findings of the review be reported to the relevant ministerial council.

Chapter 7

Recommendation 26

7.10  That additional funding for research and development should be committed under the next CSTDA within agreed policy priorities.

Recommendation 27

That the Commonwealth defer the implementation of its restructure of the national disability advocacy program and incorporate planning for advocacy services, including carers advocacy, in the negotiation of the next CSTDA.

Recommendation 28

7.26  That the next CSTDA continue to incorporate a prominent role for disability and carer advisory bodies as well as the new National Disability and Carer Ministerial Advisory Council.  These bodies should be able to provide advice to government on service delivery, progress made in meeting objectives and priorities and directions for research and development.

Recommendation 29

7.29  That Commonwealth, State and Territory governments ensure that people with disabilities and their families are not discouraged from accessing care services in their homes because of potential occupational health and safety liability.