JOINT MEDIA RELEASE – THE HON PAUL FLETCHER MP: Minister for Families and Social Services | 
THE HON SARAH HENDERSON MP: Assistant Minister for Social Services, Housing and Disability Services – $17.6M TO SUPPORT A HIGH QUALITY NDIS MARKET

THE HON PAUL FLETCHER MP

Minister for Families and Social Services

THE HON SARAH HENDERSON MP

Assistant Minister for Social Services, Housing and Disability Services

JOINT MEDIA RELEASE

19 March 2019

$17.6M TO SUPPORT A HIGH QUALITY NDIS MARKET

The Liberal National Government has today announced a $17.6 million grants program to support businesses and individuals to meet their regulatory requirements under the new National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Quality and Safeguarding Framework.

Minister for Families and Social Services, Paul Fletcher said the new four-year $17.6 million Support for NDIS Providers Program will help NDIS providers deliver safe and high quality services and supports to NDIS participants.

“The Support for NDIS Providers Program funding will help existing and prospective NDIS providers to enter and remain in the sector and deliver a positive impact on the lives of thousands of people with disability participating in the NDIS,” he said.

The Support for NDIS Providers Program is an annual program – with up to $4.323 million available nationally in 2018-19.

“We are making an open call to the market to deliver projects that will benefit all providers in meeting their new registration requirements,” Minister Fletcher said.

“We will also work directly with the New South Wales and South Australian Councils for Intellectual Disability to assist participants with intellectual disability to be aware of the new NDIS Code of Conduct and Practice Standards, as well as engage in new processes for auditing registered NDIS providers.

“We are aware that allied health professional make up the majority of individuals and small businesses registered with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.

“We will therefore work with Allied Health Professions Australia to develop specific tools to assist allied health professionals in engaging in the new quality and safety standards.

“The Government is pleased to support NDIS providers which have demonstrated commitment to promoting the rights, health and wellbeing of people with disability in the NDIS.”

Assistant Minister for Social Services, Housing and Disability Services, Sarah Henderson said the Program would fund grants demonstrating innovate approaches to developing tools and resources that are easy to access by all NDIS providers.

“The grants will support providers in meeting the costs of complying with new responsibilities designed to improve the quality and safety of NDIS supports and services and to uphold the rights of people with disability to be free from abuse, neglect, violence and exploitation,” Ms Henderson said.

“There will be a focus on supporting smaller providers, and those facing the challenges of operating in rural and remote Australia, or in areas where there are limited choices for NDIS participants.”

Applications for funding in the 2018-19 Support for NDIS Providers Program open nationally on 19 March 2019 and close on 29 April 2019.

The Support for NDIS Providers Program is administered by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission – a new independent Commonwealth agency established to improve the quality and safety of NDIS supports and services.

The NDIS Commission is currently operating in New South Wales and South Australian and will roll-out nationally by July 2020.

For information on the Support for NDIS Providers Program eligibility criteria, grant guidelines and how to apply visit the NDIS Commission website www.ndiscommission.gov.au/grants

 Media contact:

Minister Fletcher: Brooke Leembruggen 0447 743 835 brooke.leembruggen@dss.gov.au

Assistant Minister Henderson: Bree Willsmore 0475 975 778 bree.willsmore@dss.gov.au