Thousands of Australians with disability in regional and remote Western Australia will enjoy greater access to tailored disability services, under a new initiative designed to boost delivery of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
The Joint Work Program - between the Federal and Western Australian Governments - is being rolled out across five regional areas of WA. These are the South-West, Gascoyne, Great Southern, Wheatbelt and Goldfields-Esperance regions.
The initiative is targeted at improving outcomes in regional and remote areas, particularly for First Nations participants.
This program builds on findings from a $7.6 million pilot in Katanning and surrounding areas, established in response to recommendations by the 2023 NDIS review.
The NDIA worked with diverse communities to evaluate how best to provide disability services which led to a greater number of participants engaging with services.
The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) and WA Government will work alongside people with disability, families and carers and disability organisations in the five rollout areas, to identify local challenges and how best to meet community needs.
It will also offer greater supports for priority cohorts to enter and navigate the NDIS.
Over 11,000 NDIS participants live in the rollout areas.
The WA Government will also support the NDIA to solve problems people experience with services outside the NDIS.
The Australian and WA Governments first committed to deliver The Joint Work Program, under WA's Full Scheme Agreement on the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
Preliminary work has already begun in all five regions. Each site will involve an 18-month establishment, rollout and transition phase.
Quotes attributable to NDIS Minister, Senator Jenny McAllister:
"It's vital all people with disability can access high-quality services and supports, regardless of where they live.
"We are determined to work with local communities in rural and remote areas to fill gaps in services where they exist. We also want to see First Nations people offered supports tailored to their needs.
This program will help boost supply of quality services and assist Australians with disability in accessing them.
Quotes attributable to WA Disability Services Minister Hannah Beazley:
"The Western Australian Government is committed to working collaboratively with the Commonwealth to ensure individuals living with disability, together with their families and carers, have access to supports and services no matter where they live in our great and vast state.
"The initiative will help identify service gaps and aims to strengthen performance of the NDIS in regional areas through local solutions, by engaging directly with individuals, families and the disability organisations that support them.
"It represents a significant milestone under WA's Full Scheme Agreement for the NDIS in Western Australia and will deliver better outcomes for West Australians with disability, and their families and carers."
