IHC view of the Disability Strategy

IHC wants the Government to reintroduce individual entitlements to funding for disability services to improve individual choice and control.

The IHC submission to the Social Services Select Committee on the Inquiry into the Quality and Care of Services Provision to Disabled People (September 2006), calls for a change to individual entitlements consistent with the New Zealand Disability Strategy.

New Zealand has not yet achieved appropriate models of care and choice. The move to a government-controlled process for individual needs assessments for disabled people has limited the responsiveness of disability services.

IHC is also urging that an Independent Disability Commission be set up to provide strong leadership for the sector and improve monitoring of services.

An independent Commission would:

monitor progress towards the achievement of the Disability Strategy
provide a framework for workforce development
address issues of stigma and discrimination

The existing framework for monitoring disability services has a number of serious inadequacies, in particular, a lack of a consistent approach to auditing.

The submission also calls for a responsive, community-based Early Support Framework for families of disabled children and young people. This would provide information, advice, support, advocacy, and education.

It recommends there be a national standard for the resolution of complaints within the disability sector and to ensure that complaints mechanisms are accessible and responsive to people with intellectual disabilities and their families.

Click here to read a summary of the submission.