A leaked document indicates the government is seeking to severely restrict and reduce access to residential services for disabled people.
The restrictions are so severe that there is significant risk of harm to disabled people and their families, particularly for aging parents who are finding care work increasingly difficult.
Disabled people will now have to compete for residential care, with priority being given to disabled people in court ordered care (forensics – those who have committed a crime), those in the care of Oranga Tamariki (often severe, with no family support), those exiting Mental Health care (including secure care), those needing to exit hospital care and have nowhere to go, and people whose health is deteriorating and need hospital-level care (usually aged care).
Families caring for a disabled loved one at home will no longer get residential care support unless the family becomes homeless or their health has deteriorated so much they can no longer provide care. Other options include committing a crime and going to jail as those exiting jail are prioritised for residential care.
If you do have residential care for your disabled loved one, you will be tied to where they live – transfers due to movement are now a “low priority” and unlikely to occur.
Instead of residential care, there will be “community-based alternatives to residential care”. It isn’t clear what this means.
What is clear, is that disabled people and families WILL be having their allocations cut and reduced:
This sentiment is reiterated again at the end of the document:
If a NASC or EGL site is tracking above its indicative or fixed budget, it can bring annual reviews forward in order to reduce spending.
It is clear from this document that the government is looking to severely curtail disabled people’s lives, reduce allocated supports, and enable further abuse in care.
Additional risks we have identified are:
- The outcomes and actions from this guidance will lead to a decrease in the quality of services provided by the providers, leading to a higher risk of abuse in care.
- None of the options for living for adults fits with UNCRPD guidelines. Approvals for CiCL and SIL are now at risk of not occurring.
- If IF packages are reduced there is less possibility of choices in living options e.g., Family Governed models.
- Risk of deterioration of staffing quality and workforce; there are no price uplifts for staff working in Aged Care or Residential Care compared to those under Te Whatu Ora.
- Severe risk of family harm for those families who are already on residential wait lists and who many not be able to see a way forward.
- Strong risk of more carer burnout and/or suicide for those who are unable to get the supports they need.
