The McGowan Government has announced a $4.45 million funding boost to safeguard the sustainability of the disability sector in Western Australia as part of the move across to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
It is the third round of funding the McGowan Government has provided as part of its $20.3 million initiative to help smoothen the transition to the Commonwealth NDIS model. So far, $16.25 million has been allocated since mid-2018 and the next round will occur next year.
Disability Services Minister Stephen Dawson said today round three funding of between $35,000 and $135,000 would be provided by direct allocation to eligible service providers.
Funding allocation for round three was based on a range of factors including: the level of exposure to the NDIS relative to the regional rollout of the scheme; level of exposure to the WA NDIS relative to the rollout of the Commonwealth scheme; number of providers in a region; and access to services in markets where there was a limited number of providers.
Providers receiving funding under the third round include the Senses Foundation, Multicultural Services Centre of WA and Valued Lives Foundation.
A total of $5 million for round one of funding was allocated through a tender process to assist registered providers in developing their strategic and operational capacity under NDIS.
The second round involved the allocation of $6.8 million directly to 20 organisations providing supported accommodation and out of home respite options for people with complex disability to maintain quality services.
As stated by Disability Services Minister Stephen Dawson:
“The McGowan Government is committed to investing in safeguarding people with disability so their voices are heard and their needs are met during the transition to the Commonwealth NDIS.
“This $20.3 million funding initiative is targeted at ensuring people requiring NDIS services are not ‘left behind’ in the transition to the Commonwealth NDIS model and that WA can maintain quality services.
“This Government has worked closely with eligible service providers to assist in their provision of quality services.
“It’s vital that we safeguard the sustainability of providers, particularly in regional areas to ensure people have access to services while the market becomes more developed, and essentially ‘catches up’ to the demand.
“I would welcome the support of the Federal Government to continue sector transition funding of this kind and have again written to the Federal Minister for NDIS Stuart Robert, making this request.”
