Tag: NDIS

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Opinion/Commentary

ADHD diagnoses are rising. Should people with the condition join the NDIS?

Image: Ildar Abulkhanov, iStock

Should treatments for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) be covered under the National Disability Insurance Scheme?

According to Sydney Morning Herald, mental health professionals are pressuring Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese to include ADHD on the NDIS.

In July, psychologists and psychiatrists attended a Senate Committee arguing for more people with ADHD be included on the NDIS. Currently, over 800,000 children have an ADHD diagnosis. Only 5,000 currently access the NDIS.

According to SMH’s Natassia Chrysanthos, in the past five years, the number of Australians being medicated for ADHD has more than doubled. Figures show that more than 400,000 people take medication for the neurodevelopmental disorder. Awareness and education have been attributed to the spike.

That’s a huge spike!

What the Senate Inquiry recommended

Corner of Australian green Medicare card showing Medicare logo. Calculator and Australian money notes in the background.
Image: robymac, iStock

So, why are psychologists and psychiatrists pushing for more children with ADHD be put on the NDIS?

Because Medicare has proven to be grossly inadequate. Waiting lists are too long and too many parents can’t afford to get their children assessed or treated.

The Senate Inquiry recommended changes the Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

The findings recommended a nationwide approach to treatment and research:

It is clear that a more consistent and coordinated approach is needed across government systems to ensure these systems are accessible to people with ADHD.

Other submissions pointed out the need for access to Occupational Therapists (OTs), psychologists and speech therapists.

Adult ADHD and potential risks

ADHD is often looked down upon. Some people say that it ‘wasn’t a thing’ ten years ago.

Often, ADHD is stereotyped as children (particularly boys), misbehaving. However, there is a lot more to ADHD. And it can have devastating consequences if not managed properly.

Potential risks for adults with unmanaged ADHD can include:

1. Car accidents and dangerous behaviour: According to Very Well Mind, adults with ADHD can be easily distracted while driving. People with ADHD are also more prone to risk – taking behaviour, such as speeding.

2. Anxiety: According to Very Well Health, people with ADHD often suffer from anxiety. The comorbidity rate is around 50%.

3. Substance use disorder: Many studies show that adults with ADHD are likely to be addicted to nicotine. They are 50% more likely than the general population to have a drug or alcohol use disorder.

4. Difficulties in the workplace: Adults face many issues in the workplace, especially around staying on task and communicating.

5. Difficulty in self – esteem, emotional regulations and relationships: People with ADHD often struggle with self – esteem, emotional regulation and relationships.

In romantic relationships, people with ADHD may be able to ‘mask’ their symptoms initially. However, the longer a relationship goes on, hyper focusing on a partner may turn to ignoring.

Due to low self – esteem, people with ADHD may constantly seek out reassurance from their partner/s. They may constantly question their partner/s’ love and commitment. This can put a strain on the relationship, as trust slowly erodes away.

What is the answer?

I have sympathy for people with conditions like ADHD. I’m all for early diagnosis and intervention. People with ADHD deserve to get the support they need.

However, I’m not sure that increasing the number of participants on the NDIS is the answer. Many people with neurodivergence and/ or mental illnesses have been let down badly by the National Disability Insurance Agency already.

I think fixing Medicare, making psychology free and accessible is a potential answer. Trying to fit more and more people on the NDIS will only end badly.

What do you think? Should people with ADHD have access to the NDIS? Or is there another solution? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

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Opinion/Commentary

Pauline Hanson condemned for NDIS cartoon

On Good Friday, One Nation’s Pauline Hanson YouTube channel Please Explain caused a stir. It mocked the (supposed) ‘rorts’ that have occurred in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

In the cartoon, characters refer to the NDIS as a “scam” and “rort”. It contains parodies of Coalition leader, Peter Dutton, Deputy Leader, Sussan Ley and Greens’ Jordon Steele – John, who is the first Australian senator who uses a wheelchair.

Here is the video:

In the video description, Hanson defends the cartoon:

We all know that Labor loves to spend your money like it’s going out of fashion but they have taken it to a new level with the NDIS.

While a National Disability Insurance Scheme to protect the most vulnerable sounds giood on paper the reality is the NDIS has become a scandal – plagued, scam-riddled, budget disaster.

Disability advocates condemn the video

Not surprisingly, disability advocates have condemned the video. People With Disability Australia (PWDA) and Advocacy For Inclusion (AFI) called the video “repugnant, hateful and discriminatory”.

The insensitive cruelty of this propaganda by the Hanson team stoops to new lows, with its offensive, inappropriate and inaccurate depictions of disability supports under the NDIS.

PWDA President, Nicole Lee

Wheelchair paralympian, Kurt Fearnley took to Twitter, saying he was “ashamed” for Australia to have One Nation.

Head of Policy at AFI and NDIS campaigner, Craig Wallace, echoed Lee’s condemnation:

The video inspires hatred against disabled people and is a particularly nasty and vile depiction of the lives of highly vulnerable people with a disability… it should be roundly condemned by all decent Australians, including our national leaders.

Another issue that Wallace had was the reference to the NDIS as a scam. He argued that people with disabilities were more likely to be a victim of a scam, rather than a perpetrator.

PWDA and AFI have requested that the video be removed and for Pauline Hanson to publicly apologise to the audience.

History of demonising the NDIS

One Nation aren’t the only ones who’ve demonised the NDIS. I’ve been very critical of Herald Sun’s reporting on the NDIS. I argued that the article gave no context in why items like iPads were needed.

Newscorp journalists have made outrageous claims of ways people were supposedly exploiting the NDIS.

In 2017, columnist Andrew Bolt claimed that gardeners were employed by families whose children were on the autism spectrum. There was no mention of severity, whether they were non – verbal, psychological challenges the children faced. Nothing.

I believe the demonisation of the NDIS, especially so vaguely, is dangerous.

In 2020, David Harris, then fifty – five, died after his NDIS funding was cut off. His sister, Leanne Longfellow, raised the alarm when she couldn’t get in contact with him. New South Wales Police later found him deceased in his home.

Before his funding was cut, Harris had a nurse to administer injections to treat his schizophrenia and diabetes. He also had a gardener and cleaner, who he lost after his funds were cut.

In 2018, Tim Rubenach died while waiting for for a tilt bed to help his severe epilepsy. It didn’t arrive, even after Rubenach had passed away.

I could go on and cite more cases, but you get the point.

The video is potentially dangerous

It’s clear the Pauline Hanson Please Explain video was satire and hyperbolic. However, it is potentially dangerous.

Demonising the NDIS and those on it risks funding being seriously slashed. People who need assistance will miss out again. And I fear people will die waiting again.

If someone is genuinely rorting the NDIS, prosecute them. If a NDIS provider is rorting the system, prosecute them. But leave the rest of the participants and providers alone.

For people on the NDIS, the services are essential. It gives them a level of control and independence. It allows people to live a life that most people take for granted. This shouldn’t be taken away because of fear – mongering.

What do you think about the Pauline Hanson Please Explain cartoon? Feel free to leave any thoughts below.

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Opinion/Commentary

Herald Sun accuses Facebook users of trying to rort NDIS

Image: iStock

Newscorp columnist, Andrew Koubardis wrote a list of requests Facebook users were allegedly trying to claim on tge National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

The opening sentence is pure sensationalism:

From dog washes, electric toothbrushes, iPads, vinyl floorboards, personal training sessions and sex workers – nothing is off limits.

Full list of NDIS claims Australians are trying to claim, Andrew Koubardis, 22 October, 2022

No explanation on what iPads are used for? Vinyl floorboards?

The article copped some backlash:

Without knowing the specific needs of any of these people, or the severity of their disability, we really can’t judge their request.

Martin — 23 October 2022

Commenters attacked the using of Facebook as proof for dodgy requests:

This are posts [sic] from a Facebook group… they are not advice or pollicy of the NDIS. Several of those items absolutely would not be justified as a purchase in the legislation, and this article takes the advice of random people on Facebook as confirmation it would be abused. The sort of article that does nothing but make the general public hate on people with a disability, even more than they already do.

Sandy — 22 October 2022

Koubardis and commenters were slammed for misrepresenting NDIS funding and why it may be needed:

This article and many of the comments being made are shockingly inaccurate, there are so many people with significant disabilities who can barely get enough NDIS funding to cover their everyday care needs, yet people commenting here seem to think NDIS is a free bucket of cash to spend on luxury items!! An iPad is a reasonable and necessary disability expense for someone whose disability means they are unable to communicate verbally. An electronic toothbrush is a reasonable and necessary disability expense for someone whose physical disability means they struggle to manually brush their own teeth effectively. Meal deliveries are a reasonable and necessary disability expense for someone whose disability means they are unable to cook for themselves (far more effective than a support worker having to come and cook for them everyday). Just because something is a luxury for one individual doesn’t mean that it isn’t a reasonable and necessary disabilty expense for person with disability. *

Lucy — 21 Octobe4 2022

*Comment is published how it was written in the Herald Sun.

History of Newscorp attacking the NDIS… and the people on it

This isn’t the first time a Newscorp columnist has attacked the NDIS.

Andrew Bolt has been a critic of the scheme from the start. He slammed fifty lawnmowing and gardening companies for allegedly signing up to the NDIS to help famiilies with children with autism.

An unnamed business owner allegedly “secretly wondered” whether all his clients needed his assistance.

A landscaper and cleaner allegedly claimed that 2500 people in Tomakin, New South Wales were signed up to the NDIS.

In 2017: Daily Telegraph columnist, Miranda Devine was slammed for suggesting there was an “autism boom” when the NDIS was rolling out. And, like Bolt, Devine suggested the NDIS was just a pot if gold to be exploited.

I’m saying that the NDIS can’t and has never been exploited. But this constant demonisation from, arguably Australia’s largest commercial media outlet is wrong. It doesn’t do any good, especially for the people already dealing with complexities of the NDIS.

We’re talking about people’s lives. Lives that have been ignored and abused for too long.

Nobody has the right to judge the needs for someone from a marginalised group. It’s up to GPs, psychologists, occupational therapists, etc to determine a client’s disability and their needs. Not click – bait hungry journalists.

What do you think? Do you have any experience with the NDIS? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Categories
Opinion/Commentary

Ann – Marie Smith’s death and attitudes towards disability

I know this story is a few weeks old now. But I still think it’s important.

Ann – Marie Smith died a degrading death in early April. Smith, 54, who had cerebral palsy, was shamefully left to die in a cane chair.

When investigated, it was found that Smith, who lived alone, had no fresh food or even a freezer in her home. 

Her ‘support worker’ has been sacked from Integrity Care SA and  Smith’s death has been ruled as manslaughter.

Integrity Care SA has also been fined A$12,600 by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.

 

I’ve been disappointed at the lack of commentary and public outrage about this. It is abhorrent.

Effects of ‘wasted money’ cut

Man in wheelchair washing dishes
Image: iStock

Since it’s rollout in 2016, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS),  has come under a lot of scrutiny. Accusations of fraud and funds being wasted came thick and fast. Andrew Bolt was a vocal critic, warning that the system would be abused and that the budget would ‘blow out’.

In 2017, Bolt accused groundskeeping companies of abusing the system. In the same post, Bolt claimed there was a ‘liberalisation’ of the definition of “developmental delay”.

Now, because of the scaremongering, the system has changed. And for the most part, it’s been for the worst. Last year, the Coalition government prided itself on getting rid of ‘wasted funds’. But it has left NDIS providers to  feel the need to chase money, often at expense of customer control and quality care.

 

How the hell did Smith only have ONE support worker when she needed seven – day – a – week care?

I think the “wasted” money shouldn’t have just been cut out of the NDIS. It should have been better allocated.

 

Is this a reflection of how we view people with disabilities?

Is this an indictment on how society views people with disabilities? For so long, people with disabilities have been ostracised and institutionalised. They are still overrepresented in unemployment statistics.

I truly think there is an attitude problem at play. People with a disability are too often treated as too hard. They are seen as helpless, yet they are MADE even more helpless.

 

NDIS chaos

I know from personal experience that since the Federal Government found ‘unused funds’ that they conveniently just cut out of the system it’s made the NDIS worse.

The NDIS is no longer about giving participants ‘choice’. It’s about keeping funds coming, in case the Government all – to – happily cuts “wasted money” out again. That’s often means keeping customers helpless or preventing much progress.

Support providers have become more money focussed. Was providing Smith just ONE support worker for a whole week a money – saving strategy? I don’t know for sure, but, it wouldn’t surprise me if it was. If that’s the case, then Ann – Marie Smith won’t be the only victim. There’ll be many more in the future if things don’t change now.

That starts with the Federal Government putting money back into the NDIS and service providers being responsible for the safety and well – being of their customers.

 

Attitudes need to change

Attitudes towards people with a disability need a drastic overhaul. They are not a burden. They are not parasitic. They are people, who, for reasons often beyond their control, need extra help. They shouldn’t have to beg for it or die. Their lives have to count.

This can’t happen again.