On any given day last year an estimated 63,000 Australians
received 74,000 services provided or funded under the
Commonwealth/State Disability Agreement (CSDA), according to a
report released by the Australian Institute of Health and
Welfare.
Services provided under the CSDA are designed for people who
need ongoing support with everyday life activities.
In 1999, 64% of people receiving disability support services
needed support with self-care. About 55% needed support with
mobility, and 68% with communication, while 81% needed support with
managing emotions.
Support was needed continually by many people, ranging from 18%
needing continual support for 'mobility' to 35% needing continual
support for 'working'.
The main income source for 83% of adults receiving services was
the Disability Support Pension.
Of all people receiving services, one-third (21,157) were in
Victoria. New South Wales had the second highest number (16,350),
followed by Western Australia (9,109) and Queensland (8,012).
Over 6,600 outlets are funded under the CSDA to provide
services. Through these:
- 33% of people receiving services used accommodation support
services in both institutional and community settings;
- 28% used employment services, covering open labour market
services and supported employment services, with 98% of these
people being provided with employment services by non-government
agencies;
- 25% used community support services, which included early
childhood intervention, specific therapies, counselling and
recreation programs;
- 23% used community access services, mainly covering
educational, social and daily living activities; and
- 5% used respite services, which provide short-term breaks from
caring activities to carers of people with a disability.
Of people receiving services in 1999:
- 44% were relatively young adults-aged between 25 and 40
years;
- 58% were men;
- 61% were reported to have intellectual disability as the
primary disability type;
- 47% had more than one disability; and
- 48% lived with their families, while 23% lived in disability
community residential care (e.g. group homes); and 11% in
institutional settings.
Information in this report relies on data collected by each
State and Territory and the Commonwealth.
8 November 2000
Further information:
Joanne Maples, AIHW, tel. 02 6244 1194.
For media copies of the report: Publications Officer,
tel. 02 6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications
Catalogue for availability.