Disability Services and Carer Program Gaps in Central Australian Indigenous Communities

Abstract

Abstract My research objective was twofold: to gather valuable information regarding the gaps in disability and carer services provided to Indigenous Australian communities of Central Australia and to evaluate plans for expanding these services to better meet the needs of all disabled persons and their carers in the region before the rollout of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in 2018. A questionnaire was personally administered to each of the ten disability or carer agency managers participating in the study, and the managers' responses analyzed. Gaps were found in the transport of Indigenous Australian people to and from Alice Springs to receive services. Gaps were also found in the provision of services for disability housing, outreach accommodation, residential respite, and carer support, as well as for assessment, treatment, counseling, and case management. These gaps increased for all areas of Central Australia the farther the areas were from Alice Springs.