16 February 2012

The Nationals Member for Burrinjuck, Katrina Hodgkinson, has welcomed the announcement of Ability Links NSW – an $82 million boost to expand support services for people with a disability, their families and carers.

The NSW Government will roll out 248 coordinator positions across NSW over the next three years.

A tender has now opened for suitable providers to manage the 221 mainstream positions with the outcome to be announced mid-year. A local community engagement process starting in March will be used to select suitable Aboriginal providers to manage the 27 Aboriginal identified positions.

“These Ability Links NSW coordinators will play a crucial role in helping people with disabilities plan for their future by building new networks and accessing supports and services in our community,” Katrina said.

“This delivers on the NSW Liberals & Nationals pre-election commitment to introduce an expanded form of local area coordination.”

“The Murrumbidgee, Southern NSW and Western Local Health Districts, which service the Burrinjuck electorate will benefit with a total of 34 coordinator positions to be filled over the next three years.”

Minister for Disability Services, Andrew Constance, said the NSW Government currently commits $2.4 million a year to assist people with a disability, their families and carers using a form of local area coordination, but the Government can and will do better.

“There’ll be an immediate injection of $1.7 million in extra funding this financial year and $11.6 million in 2012/13 with the ability to assist more than 20,000 people,” Katrina said.

“This will increase to $24.5 million per year by the end of June 2014, with the ability to assist 25,500 people.”

“Ability Links NSW is designed to work with people with disabilities aged 9 to 65 years to build resilience, maintain support networks and access mainstream services enabling them to live a life of their choosing.

“It is also designed to build the capacity of local services and community groups to involve people with disabilities in their services and activities on an ongoing basis,” Katrina said.

For information about Ability Links NSW contact 1800 605 489. For information on the tender process go to: www.tenders.nsw.gov.au