Disability services

Australia’s welfare 2019: data insights presents an overview of the welfare data landscape and explores selected welfare topics—including intergenerational disadvantage, income support, future of work, disability services, elder abuse and child wellbeing—in 8 original articles.

Australia’s welfare 2019 is the 14th biennial welfare report of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. This edition introduces a new format and expanded product suite:

• Australia’s welfare 2019: data insights
• Australia’s welfare snapshots
• Australia’s welfare 2019: in brief
• Australia’s welfare indicators

In 2016–17, about 331,000 people used disability support services funded under the National Disability Agreement (NDA). During the year, about 29,000 (9%) NDA service users transitioned to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), almost three-quarters (71%) of whom had an intellectual or learning primary disability.

People with disability use a range of mainstream health services—such as GPs, medical specialists and dentists. Some experience difficulties in accessing these services, such as unacceptable or lengthy waiting times, cost, inaccessibility of buildings, and discrimination by health professionals.

In 2015–16, over 330,000 people used disability support services funded under the National Disability Agreement (NDA). With the progressive roll-out of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) across Australia, many existing NDA service users are expected to move to the NDIS over time

Autism spectrum disorder (also simply termed autism) is a persistent developmental disorder, characterised by symptoms evident from early childhood. In 2015, an estimated 164,000 people had autism, representing about 1 in 150 Australians. In 2014–15, around 43,500 people with autism accessed disability support services under the National Disability Agreement (NDA).

The specialist homelessness services 2015–16 web report is the fifth annual report from the Specialist Homelessness Services Collection (SHSC). It describes the characteristics of clients of specialist homelessness services, the services requested, outcomes achieved, and unmet requests for services during 2015–16.

In 2014–15, around 333,800 people used disability support services under the National Disability Agreement (NDA), including around 1,900 who transitioned to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) during the year.

This report uses data from the 2012 Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers and 2011–12 ABS National Health Survey (NHS) to examine how health-related factors affect the health status of Australians with disability.

The Specialist homelessness services 2014–15 web report is the fourth annual report from the Specialist Homelessness Services Collection and the first presented as a web report. It describes the characteristics of clients of specialist homelessness services, the services requested, outcomes achieved, and unmet requests for services during 2014–15.

In 2013–14, around 321,500 people used disability support services under the National Disability Agreement (NDA), including 4,200 who transitioned to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) during the year.

This report uses data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ 2012 Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers to examine the level of access to a range of health services by Australians with disability living in the community.

In 2012–13, around 312,500 people used disability support services under the National Disability Agreement (NDA).

This report describes the linkage process used to identify the extent of joint use of Disability Services and the Home and Community Care program. The methods used to derive analysis variables are also described. Under one-fifth of Disability Service users also used HACC in 2010-11. The analysis of joint program use is presented in the companion report People using both Disability Services and Home and Community Care 2010–11.

This report examines the characteristics and service use of people who accessed both Disability Services and Home and Community Care programs. In 2010–11 around 54,800 people were known to have used both programs, and the majority of these people were aged under 65 (89%). The report found that people using both programs required higher, more complex and diverse supports, and relied on a wide range of complementary services from both programs to support their distinct support needs.

In 2011–12, around 317,600 people used disability support services under the National Disability Agreement (NDA).

In 2010–11, around 314,300 people used disability support services under the National Disability Agreement (NDA).

In 2009–10, around 295,000 people used disability support services under the National Disability Agreement (NDA).