National Disability Services (NDS) Northern Region ADHC Update July 2011 Mid North Coast – Thursday, 7 July 2011 Far Nor

1. National Disability Services (NDS) Northern Region ADHC Update July 2011 Mid North Coast – Thursday, 7 July 2011 Far North Coast – Friday, 8 July 2011 New England – Friday, 22 July 2011

2. Contents • Minister Constance to host consultations around person centred support • Accommodation Options • Northern Region Gathering – ‘Act Now’ • Consultation on the Joint Guideline to support residents of ADHC operated and funded accommodation support services who attend or are admitted to a NSW public hospital • Northern Region Planning and Access Projects • Northern Region Home and Community Care (HACC) Non Recurrent Projects

3. Minister Constance to host consultations around person centred support • The Minister is working to seek input from persons with a disability, their families, carers, service providers, staff and other stakeholders in relation to client directed supports • 2 Day Summit at Acer Arena, Homebush, will be the start an extensive consultation process across NSW over the next few months • A Discussion Paper ‘Living life my way’ will underpin the consultations with people with a disability, their families and carers

4. Minister Constance to host consultations around person centred support cont …. • There will be over 100 independently facilitated consultation sessions for people with a disability, their families and carers across NSW • There will also be a series of 2 hour sessions with service providers and other stakeholders over the 2 days in each location • Proposed Northern Region dates are: • Tweed Heads - 18 & 19 August 2011 • Lismore – 25 & 26 August 2011 • Armidale – 29 & 30 August 2011 • Port Macquarie – 29 & 30 August 2011 • Tamworth – 31 August 2011 & 1 September 2011 • Coffs Harbour – 1 & 2 September 2011

5. Accommodation Options • Planning has commenced for the growth of accommodation services in the region. • The focus of Stronger Together 2005/2010 was on building the capacity of service providers to deliver support to people with intellectual disability and very high support needs • Stronger Together 2011/2016 will expand the range of options for people with a disability across the lifespan and all types of disability • The aim is to enable greater flexibility and responsiveness as people’s needs change • Northern Region will expand on drop-in support services, individual accommodation packages and flexible capital configurations for more specialised options for people with complex needs such as villas and houses with self contained units

6. Northern Region Gathering – ‘Act Now’

7. Northern Region Gathering – ‘Act Now’ • ACT Now is a Gathering for Aboriginal service providers, NDS, ADHC staff, community representatives & NGO’s who provide services to Aboriginal people, their families and carers to come together. • The Gathering will be held from Monday, 20 September 2011 – Wednesday, 22 September 2011 at the Anuka Resort, Coffs Harbour • Registration closes Monday, 1 August 2011 • For further information contact Elizabeth Ervine, ADHC Armidale office on 6773 0341

8. Joint Guidelines to support residents of ADHC operated and funded accommodation support services who attend or are admitted to a NSW public hospital • Following recommendations made by the NSW Ombudsman in providing appropriate support of people with a disability during hospitalisation. • NSW Health and ADHC have jointly developed guidelines to assist staff of respective agencies to establish and implement agreed local arrangements • The Guidelines provide a consistent framework and best practice for both health care staff and disability support staff to work collaboratively on sound outcomes for people with a disability whilst in hospital

9. Northern Region Planning and Access Projects 2010/11 • Person Centred Thinking training workshops • Asset Based Community Development have been increasing staff understanding of assisting people to develop plans that are based on their needs and not just on services available • Case Management forums have been commenced and are expanding to enable NGO and ADHC case managers to share learning and reflect on strengths based, person-centred practice • A highly successful Re-ablement project was established in Clarence Valley for Older People to build their independence and resilience

10. Northern Region Planning and Access Projects 2010/11 • Practice Development Group and Casework Consultants Children & Young People have continued to focus on working with families to build resilience and maintain their children in the family home. • This has been enhanced by using Extended Family Support program as flexible packages with an Early Intervention focus. No child has needed to move into residential based accommodation services in Voluntary Out of Home Care.

11. Northern Region HACC Non Recurrent Projects • Northern Region has a number of funded non recurrent HACC projects that will commence in 2011 including: • Expansion of Enablement projects across the region • Developing opportunities for training and support for organisations in Person Centred Approaches and Asset Based Community Development • Expansion of the Futures Planning project across the region • Working with Mental Health to build improved relationships and strategies for joint work where a person has a Mental Illness • ADHC will convene a meeting at the beginning of August with service providers around a collaborative approach to these projects

12. Contact us: www.dadhc.nsw.gov.au