Announcement:
Overview of disability services funding
Date of announcement:
21 November 2007
Detail:
“Increased recurrent funding includes:
* Funding for new services under the CSTDA – cost shared with States $1.9 billion
* $1000 payments for families with children with a disability $721 million
* Funding for Commonwealth only programs including employment $117 million
* Services for children with autism $190 million
Over and above this funding, Labor will also provide capital funding for 6 new early intervention and long day care services for children with autism.”
Announcement:
CSTDA Funding
Date of announcement:
30th October 2007
Detail:
“A Rudd Labor Government will guarantee services for people with disabilities and their carers – and provide certainty.
A Rudd Labor Government would ensure $962 million allocated by the Coalition for accommodation, respite and in home support is brought back into the Commonwealth State Territory Disability Agreement (CSTDA) and available to the States and Territories on a dollar for dollar matching basis. This approach would result in an injection of $1.9 billion in funding for people with a disability.
Federal Labor would honour the outcomes of the recent funding round for respite services.
In addition, Federal Labor will fast track the renegotiation of the CSTDA. The CSTDA funds core disability services such as accommodation, in home support, respite, day programs, therapy and early intervention.
….
A Rudd Labor Government would also make system reform the priority of the next CSTDA.
Federal Labor will work with State and Territory Governments to implement changes with clear timelines and in partnership with people with disabilities and their carers. Federal Labor’s reform plan will include:
• Better measurement of current and future need for disability services
• Moving toward national population benchmarks for key disability service types;
• Making older carers a priority for all disability services under the CSTDA;
• Quality improvement systems based on the Disability Service Standards for all CSTDA funded services
• Improved service planning and strategies to simplify access to services
• Focusing on early intervention, life long planning and increasing the independence and social participation of people with disabilities
