A total of 5,759 outlets and organisations were funded to
provide disability support services under the Commonwealth/State
Disability Agreement (CSDA) in 1997, according to a report released
today.
The report, by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare,
shows that non-government outlets provided 69% of these services
(up 2% from the previous year), with the remainder being
government-provided.
The services were of five main types:
- 44% were accommodation support services, covering 20,149
recipients living in institutional settings and community settings,
such as group homes and family homes;
- 16% were employment support services, covering open labour
market services and supported employment services;
- 20% were community support services, which include speech
therapy, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, early childhood
intervention, counselling and recreation programs;
- 12% were community access services, mainly covering
educational, social and daily living activities;
- 7% were respite services, which provide short-term breaks from
caring activities to carers of people with a disability.
Of people receiving services in 1997:
- 56% were aged between 15 and 39 years;
- 58% were men;
- 67% were reported to have intellectual disability as the
primary disability type;
- 51% were reported to have more than one significant disability
type;
- 83% needed support in the areas of self-care, mobility or
communication.
The report also provides data on other disabilities, country of
birth, Indigenous origin, language, method of communication, income
source, living arrangements, State distribution, service funding,
staff hours, operating times and CSDA performance indicators.
26 February 1999
Further information: Ken Black, ph. 02 6244
1178 or 04 0701 2520 (mobile).
For media copies of the report: Lena Searle, ph.
02 6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications
Catalogue for details.