$72 million for frontline NDIS services in South Australia

South Australians with disability will benefit from an investment of more than $72 million to deliver front line services under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

Minister for Social Services Dan Tehan today announced Baptcare and Mission Australia as Partners in the Community (Partners) delivering Local Area Coordination (LAC) services in South Australia.

Mission Australia and Baptcare will support the implementation of the NDIS at a local community level.

“This is another important milestone as we roll out the National Disability Insurance Scheme that will change the lives of hundreds of thousands of Australians with a disability and create thousands of new jobs,” Mr Tehan said.

“A service delivery project of this size has never been undertaken before anywhere in the world and all levels of government and the community and private sector need to work co-operatively together to realise the full potential of the scheme.

“Baptcare and Mission Australia are two experienced and respected organisations that have existing community connections and infrastructure which will allow them to quickly scale up across South Australia.

“Baptcare and Mission Australia will join existing supplier Feros Care to support an expected 32,300 people with disability in South Australia by 2020.

“The transition to the NDIS from state and territory services represents a major change, but also a major improvement to the previous system.

“The NDIS is changing lives. At Full Scheme, 460,000 Australians with disability will be assisted by the NDIS, in cooperation with our Partners, to fulfil their goals and participate in community life.”

The NDIS is expected to boost the South Australian economy by $740 million and bring more than 5,000 new jobs in disability services to the state.

The number of people accessing supports is expected to grow from 17,000 to 32,300 people in South Australia.

Almost 120,000 Australians, including 13,223 South Australians with disability, were accessing the NDIS, exercising choice and control in the delivery of their supports from more than 1,300 disability service providers in South Australia, according to the most recent data from 30 September 2017.

Baptcare will receive approximately $24.8 million to deliver LAC Services in the service areas of Eastern Adelaide, Western Adelaide and Yorke Mid North.

Mission Australia will receive approximately $47.3 million to deliver LAC Services across the service areas of Limestone Coast, Murray and Mallee, Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island, Eyre & Western and Far North, and Southern Adelaide.

Baptcare and Mission Australia are expected to commence services from March 2018 for three years.

This announcement completes the sourcing of LAC partners for SA as Baptcare and Mission Australia join Feros Care as the Agency partners in the delivery of the Scheme. Visit the NDIS website www.ndis.gov.au to find out how to get NDIS Ready.