823. Hon ALISON XAMON to the Minister for Disability Services:
I refer to a question without notice about young people with disabilities housed in aged-care facilities
(1) Is the Disability Services Commission implementing measures to identify those young people and connect them to the National Disability Insurance Scheme?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
(3) If yes to (1), what are those measures?
Hon STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.
(1) Yes.
(2) Not applicable.
(3) Young people in or at risk of entering residential aged care is a significant issue that is being actively addressed by the state government. Disability services works actively with the commonwealth government to identify young people in residential aged care across WA to explore more appropriate long-term accommodation options and to divert entry for those at risk of entering residential aged care. When local coordinators have knowledge of young people in aged-care settings, direct contact is made to discuss eligibility for the NDIS. The potential for this group of people to be eligible for the NDIS is also promoted through information sessions and public events. As Minister for Disability Services, I am keen to see the Department of Communities play an active role in identifying the cohort of young people with disability housed in aged-care facilities who are not currently connected with the department.
Disability Services works closely with the Aged Care Assessment Teams, or ACAT, to explore all disability service options and alternative accommodation services that are more appropriate to the person’s need.