20/10/00
Country people with disabilities, their families and non-government agencies are being asked to help develop innovative solutions to increase respite support in regional areas.
Disability Services Minister Paul Omodei said the State and Commonwealth Governments had provided $468,000 recurrent funding to be allocated over two years for respite support for people with disabilities and their families in country regions.
He said individuals and non-government organisations were invited to submit proposals to the Disability Services Commission for new or expanded services that would provide respite for families and strengthen family well-being and capacity to continue caring.
“More than 70 per cent of the care required by people with disabilities is provided by families and it is important that they get the opportunity to take a break from caring when they need to,” he said.
“A major component of the Disability Services Commission’s new Strategic Plan is to strengthen families in their caring role and encourage communities to provide greater support to people with disabilities and their families.
“The State Government recognises that families are in the best position to decide how and when support is provided and we acknowledge that in country areas in particular, families can experience difficulties in getting that support.
“We are now asking people to let us know where their respite needs are not being met and to come up with some constructive proposals to meet those needs.”
Mr Omodei said proposals could be for ongoing funding for services that are ready to be implemented or for one-off funding to assist in the development of a new service.
He said information packages, which include the Request For Proposal criteria were available from the Disability Services Commission on 9426 9208.
For further information, please contact Peter Batini, Manager Service Development and Monitoring on 9426 9382. Proposals must be submitted by December 29, 2000. A further call for recurrent proposals from rural and remote areas will be made in October 2001.
Media contact:
Hugh Ryan 9213 6700
