Speak Out Feb 2020 DIGITAL EDITION. pdf

Association news

Advocacy in the disability sector

The implementation of the NDIS has meant a new and very different way of providing supports for people with disability. It has also created an important opportunity for Speech Pathology Australia to inform the development of the new system, including advocating for continued provision of and access to safe, high quality evidence-based speech pathology services for people with disabilities. Over the past six years, the Association has advocated in many ways and within a range of forums in relation to the NDIS, including with the NDIA, the NDIS Commission, State and Federal Ministers and services as well as mainstream agencies (e.g., jurisdictional health and educational departments). The efforts of the Association have been consistent, strategic and where appropriate, collaborative. Timelines for providing input have often been very short, but the Association has sought to include contributions from and feedback by members where possible and provided support and encouragement to members to submit. Where issues have been specific to our members or to speech pathology service provision the Association has advocated independently. For the most part, however, the NDIA and the NDIS Commission have targeted their communications and consultations through Allied Health Professions Australia (AHPA) as the representative of all the allied health professions involved in service provision to NDIS participants. The role of Speech Pathology Australia, with AHPA has been and continues to be considerable. The Association was instrumental in the establishment of an NDIS Sub-committee of AHPA. The Senior Advisor Disability has been the chair of the sub-committee for the past two years, as well as contributing to its activities, since its inception. The Association’s CEO Gail Mulcair is the current chair of the board of AHPA. AHPA has provided input and comment in relation to a range of issues and NDIS processes, including pricing, functionality of the NDIS Portal, the way plans are "built", access, plan gaps, problems with plan development, "early" plans etc. AHPA is now at the table to represent issues for the Allied Health Professions at a range of forums, including the NDIS Market

Oversight Advisory Group and the Victorian State Government auspiced NDIS Capability Framework Steering Group. Through AHPA, the Association has been able to directly contribute to decision making by the NDIA, including increased funding for travel, indirect service provision and NDIS required reports, and against the introduction of tiered pricing for allied health. AHPA has ongoing opportunities to contribute directly to NDIS issues such as the development of the Digital Marketplace, design of the Portal, pricing for therapy supports, specific disability streams (e.g., for deaf and hard of hearing). Other advocacy activities of the Association in relation to the NDIS have included: Submissions to Federal Government forums The Association has provided submissions to various inquiries undertaken by the Joint Standing Committee on the NDIS, and the Disability Royal Commission. In relation to the latter, this has included making recommendations to make the Commission communication accessible. There are also plans to make submissions to the Senate Inquiry into Autism. The Association has been able to raise awareness of a number of issues through these submissions; delays with approvals and provision of Assistive Technology; Planners making decisions outside of their scope; delays with access to the scheme, and to Plans; and inappropriate and potentially risky focus on the use of AHAs, as a cheaper alternative to allied health professionals. Submissions are The Association's contributions influenced the decision by the NDIS to include oral eating and drinking supports as one of the disability related health supports in NDIS participants plans. As well as meeting with Federal and State Disability and Health Ministers and with the Deputy CEO of the NDIA, the Association provided information to the Senior Officers Working Group, which was commissioned with managing these intersectoral issues through the Disability Reform Council (DRC) of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG). available on the Association’s website. Mainstream interface issues

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February 2020 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

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