Proposed changes to NDIS will impact mental health and wellbeing of participants
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Media release
The Mental Health Community Coalition of the ACT (MHCC ACT) is concerned over leaked documents proposing changes and restructures to the NDIS and calls for participant voices to be heard and acted upon by the NDIA.
Bec Cody, MHCC ACT CEO, states “Whilst MHCC ACT welcomes the pause offered on the introduction of compulsory Independent Assessments, by Senator Linda Reynolds, Minister for the NDIS, we want to ensure that we don’t take the focus off other changes slated for the NDIA Act.”
“The introduction of Independent Assessments is only one part of the reforms being proposed for the NDIS. A series of documents leaked from within the NDIA are deeply concerning. They include far-reaching changes to the NDIA Act and the establishment of a new ‘Sustainability Action Taskforce’. Both will have a detrimental impact on what is delivered to participants, compromising their choice and control.”
“With an internal taskforce focused on cost-cutting, slowing participant numbers and reducing plan sizes, the real impacts will be on the NDIS participants and service providers unable to provide quality care. This will have a significant impact on the participants’ wellbeing and mental health” says Bec Cody.
“Troubling reports from within the NDIS, discussing the wellbeing of internal staff, and their inability to cope with the changes while still be able to serve the needs of their participants should be a warning sign for the government.”
Bec Cody says “MHCC ACT have been following the updates on the NDIS situation closely, and are working hard to ensure that the voices of our members and the wider disability sector, including psychosocial disability, are heard.”
“Last week MHCC ACT, along with other disability and community sector organisations, met with Federal Member for Canberra, Alicia Payne in her role as a member of the NDIS Joint Standing Committee, to discuss these issues. She has shown her support and is in the works to plan meetings with the Chair of the NDIS Standing Committee, Kevin Andrews MP and Labor’s NDIS spokesperson Bill Shorten MP.”
MHCC ACT joins the disability sector and community in calling for a halt to all proposed changes to the NDIS, and to ensure that a co-design model with people with disability is at the centre of any changes moving forward.
If you would like to join the call, Every Australian Counts urges you to email Minister Reynolds.
Further resources:
- Secret Liberal NDIS Bill (billshorten.com.au)
- NDIS cost-cutting taskforce told to reduce growth in participants and spending | National disability insurance scheme | The Guardian
- The restructuring of the NDIS | The Saturday Paper
- NDIS compulsory assessments paused – but the fight for the NDIS is far from over – Every Australian Counts
- Calls to halt controversial NDIS trials of independent assessments | The Canberra Times | Canberra, ACT
Media Contact: Bec Cody, Chief Executive Officer
(02) 5104 7716, Bec.Cody@mhccact.org.au
Communications Officer: Alison Hall, (02) 5104 7711
MHCC ACT is the peak body for community-managed mental health services in the ACT. Find out more about MHCC ACT at www.mhccact.org.au.