The Brain Injury Association of New South Wales is the only statewide organisation in NSW dedicated to serving all persons affected by acquired brain injury—those with acquired brain injuries, family members, friends, professionals, and the broader community.
Applications for all positions close at 5pm on Friday 1 June 2012.
Apology - BIA NSW Telephone issues
We apologise to members and others for any inconvenience experienced in telephone communication with our office landlines recently. Unfortunately, we have had ongoing issues with our telephone system since mid-April, with many line drop outs and crackly connections. We are now closer to a solution, and sincerely hope that things will be back to normal soon. Please be reassured that all messages left on our office answering service will be responded to as soon as possible. The service is being checked regularly throughout business hours.
BIA NSW Mobile phone numbers are operating without issue.
Please also note that EMAILS ARE NOT AFFECTED and will be delivered as usual.
BIA NSW Training Workshop – Gymea
Registrations are now open for a full-day training workshop in the Sutherland area on Friday, 1st June 2012. The workshop, aimed at service providers, will provide a good understanding of the unique nature of acquired brain injury, as well as strategies for recognising and managing associated behaviours.
The workshop will be held 9.30am to 4pm at the Sutherland District Trade Union Club in Gymea. DOWNLOAD REGISTRATION
BIA NSW Brokerage Program – Funding available now
We are pleased to advise that NSW Department of Family & Community Services, Ageing Disability & Home Care (ADHC) has committed to ongoing funding for a BIA NSW Brokerage Program. Packages for use of brokerage funds are available for people living in NSW.
Funding is available now and potential applicants are encouraged to submit their application as soon as possible.
The maximum amount per package is $5,000 (plus GST) per person. The pool of funds available is intended for a short term or a one-off purchase. For this reason, packages should not be used to establish ongoing supports that will result in distress to clients if the funds are withdrawn.
TO APPLY please use the attached APPLICATION FORM, providing as much detail as necessary to appropriately reflect the client's situation and need.
Please send your completed applications to BIA NSW, PO Box 698, EPPING, NSW, 1710, or Fax: 9868 5619 or Email:
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National Disability Insurance Scheme - Make it Real
There was a resounding cheer at the Make It Real Rally in Sydney with Prime Minister Gillard's announcement that the first stage of the NDIS will be delivered a full year ahead of the timetable set out by the Productivity Commission. See MEDIA RELEASE
The NDIS will be a modern, person-centred support system, helping Australians with disability and their families to have the opportunity to participate actively in their communities. The NDIS will provide targeted supports aligned to need. It will be portable, with entitlement to support the same in every state and territory of Australia. The NDIS was recommended by the Productivity Commission in July 2011, following an intensive 18-month investigation of the unmet needs of people with disability and their families and carers across Australia.
For more information on the National Disability Insurance Scheme, see Every Australian Counts.
BIA NSW member, Grayden Moore, has also shared his story to demonstrate what a difference the NDIS would make. See "Disabled to Rally for New Scheme"
NSW Government Living Life My Way – Launch of the final consultation stage
The final stage of the “Living Life My Way” consultation process is here, with sessions being held across NSW between 7th May and 29th June 2012. It is important that all people with disability, their families and their carers are heard.
The schedule of the consultations, the report on the outcomes of the 2011 consultations, and a discussion paper on implementation is available on the ADHC website – go to www.adhc.nsw.gov.au/pcaor phone the Person Centred Approaches Team on 1800 605 489.
If transport is an obstacle to you attending a consultation, contact the Person Centred Approaches Team on 1800 605 489, as transport may be arranged for you.
If you are unable to attend any of the consultations, you can still have your say. Contact the Person Centred Approaches Team to discuss ways to have your say.
Contact us at BIA NSW if you need help accessing any of this information.
BIA NSW CarerLink Peer Mentoring Program
BIA NSW CarerLink Peer Mentoring Program is up and running partnering Carers who have gone through similar experiences. CarerLink facilitates support for people who have become carers of someone who has sustained an ABI, through a peer mentoring model, allowing people to share their experience with someone who is a ‘veteran’ to the caring role having experienced a similar challenge. This program provides a complement to other services and programs available for people with ABI and their families, to be accessed as part of their re-engagement with the community.
Please open this link for further information and for answers to frequently asked questions. More...
Call for Volunteers - Brain injury Speakers assistants
The Brain Injury Association of NSW is calling for volunteers with a passion for building understanding.
We need well organised volunteers with good communication skills to assist with running presentations raising brain injury awareness. Duties would include supporting speakers (who all have a brain injury), and co-hosting presentations.Transportation of speakers to venues (presentations currently held at St Ives, Homebush, or Penrith) would also be required.
Support and training will be provided. For more information, click here or contact BIA NSW on 9868 5261 or
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Supported Living Fund
People with disability who are planning or considering moving to a supported living arrangement are encouraged to register with ADHC. The Supported Living Fund is an initiative that aims to provide people with a disability, their families and carers greater opportunity to build person centred and sustainable living arrangements. The focus is on providing a truly flexible and individualised option in the planning of ongoing living supports.
The opportunity to formally register an interest in accessing a Supported Living Fund package is now open. Note that expressions of Interest for the first intake round closed on Friday 27 January, 2012, however, there will be further rounds later in 2012, and also in 2013.
Ageing, Disability and Home Care (ADHC) through Stronger Together Two, have committed to a total of 300 Supported Living Fund packages across NSW (100 each in 2011/12, 2012/13 and 2013/14).
For more information, see the ADHC websiteor contact us at BIA NSW.
Disability Care and Support Announcement
On 10th August 2011, the federal government announced its response to the Productivity Commission’s final report into lifetime Disability Care and Support. It was announced they will start work immediately with states and territories to build the foundations for a:
National Disability Insurance Scheme – to provide all Australians with insurance in the event they or a family member acquire a disability; and a National Injury Insurance Scheme – to provide no fault insurance for anyone who acquires a catastrophic injury.
BIA NSW welcomed this news. It directly addresses the key inequities surrounding who receives lifetime care and who does not. This is particularly pertinent for our membership, as so many people miss out on essential services following an acquired brain injury.
The government has announced it will:
Deliver an immediate $10 million to start the initial policy work;
Establish a Select Council of Ministers from the Commonwealth, States and Territories to lead reform in this area at COAG next month;
Establish an Advisory Group to the Select Council, led by Dr Jeff Harmer, to provide expert advice on delivering the foundations for reform and preparation for launch.
The Prime Minister’s media release is available at:
To coincide with the release of this report, the BIANSW CEO was interviewed for ABC’s 7:30 (see Media). Our members Grayden and Laurelei Moore provided their personal stories, and some perspectives on how the system urgently needs changing.
There is a lot more work for BIA NSW to do to ensure that assessment processes and eligibility criteria adequately capture who needs access to lifetime care, as well as to ensure that people already in need right now are covered by the scheme when it is finally implemented.
We will continue to keep you informed as best we can.
Recognition of Acquired Brain Injury
BIA NSW are very encouraged by the NSW Government's recognition of the unique support requirements of those affected by acquired brain injury. There is now a web page dedicated to ABI on the Family and Community Services Ageing, Disability & Home Care website. View here
Stronger Together: The Second Phase 2011-2016
In December 2010 the NSW government announced a further $2 billion investment in disability services over the next five years. This funding is in addition to the $2.02 billion it will cost to continue to fund the disability services already provided under the first five years of the Stronger Together program. For more information see Stronger Together. The next five years will see the government take a person-centred, lifespan approach to support services and accommodation for those with disability in NSW. BIA NSW is particularly encouraged by the specific mention of acquired brain injury in the policy papers.
SHUT OUT: The experience of people with disabilities and their families in Australia: Report
At the end of 2008, people with disabilities and their families were invited to provide their experiences and input into a national consultation process to develop a National Disability Strategy. Those experiences have now been compiled into a Report. More...
