5 May 2016
Policy update
One of Youngcare’s key aims is to be the voice of young people with high care needs and to influence housing, health, aged care and disability services policy and practice. A number of recommendations and submissions have already been submitted this year to government.
The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) released the Specialist Disability Accommodation Framework (SDA) Position Paper on Draft Pricing and Payments, which enabled Youngcare to provide feedback on the NDIA’s approach and ensure that young people with high care needs are given real choice and control over where they choose to live. We also joined with the Young People in Nursing Homes Alliance and the Summer Foundation to submit formal recommendations to the NDIS Joint Standing Committee addressing the barriers to solving the housing crisis.
With the National Injury Insurance Scheme (NIIS) set to become available to Queenslanders in July, Youngcare made a submission to the Parliamentary Inquiry into a suitable model for the scheme’s implementation. On average three Queenslanders a week sustain catastrophic injuries in road crashes such as brain or spinal injuries, limb amputations or severe burns. Currently about half of these people are not covered by their CTP insurance, either because they were found to be at fault or no one was at fault.
We were involved in the Independent Review of Taxi, Limousine and Rideshare Services in Queensland commissioned by the Queensland Government and made a number of recommendations, notably that the Queensland Government formulate a policy target of having 50% of its taxi fleet wheelchair accessible by the year 2025.
Youngcare is currently working with the Department of Housing and Public Works’ Livable Housing Design Working Group, focusing on building industry and policy and we are also delighted to be part of the consultation for Queensland’s long term housing future, instigated by the Hon. Mick de Brenni MP, Minister for Housing and Public Works.
In other news, Youngcare’s Development Manager, Tim Hellyer presented at the NDIS Housing Showcase on 6 April in Sydney, attended by over 500 people. This was an excellent opportunity to share our housing projects and plans for the future, and to hear firsthand the key issues that young people with high care needs and their loved ones are facing.
