NACCHO lodged a submission to the Parliamentary Inquiry into NDIS Readiness on 22 February 2018. When appropriately resourced, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHSs) are uniquely placed to support Aboriginal people through the NDIS to improve health and wellbeing outcomes. However, there are barriers for ACCHSs becoming providers of the NDIS including cost, thin markets as recognised by the Productivity Commission and limited Aboriginal workforce. The submission also highlights the barriers many Aboriginal people face in accessing NDIS services which include not fitting the assumed client model, limited NDIS service providers in rural and remote areas and not catering for the specific needs of Aboriginal culture.

NACCHO is supportive of the NDIS and understands it is a complex and highly valued national reform. If implemented well, the NDIS will substantially improve the health and wellbeing of people with a disability and Australians more generally. We are keen to collaborate with the Commonwealth Government to develop better solutions for Aboriginal people with a disability.

The full submission to the Parliamentary Inquiry including recommendations for improvement can be found here – NACCHO NDIS submission