The NDIA announced that plans will no longer end. On the day your plan is due to expire, the NDIA will automatically extend it for 365 days. You will not need to do anything – it will happen automatically. That way there will be no gaps between plans for anyone to worry about.

Your extended plan will have the same budget and supports as your current plan.

The NDIA are trying not to have any face to face meetings at the moment (for obvious reasons). So around the time you are due for a review meeting, the NDIA will contact you to see if you are happy with your current plan. If you are, they will simply extend it for up to 24 months. No muss, no fuss.

If you don’t currently have support coordination in your plan you can now use some of your core funding to employ a support coordinator to help you. For people trying to juggle their supports at this difficult time, this might really be a help.

Specific for Deaf NDIS Participants:

• You can use your core fund to purchase an appropriate device in the CORE supports (e.g.. can be used to fund everyday items participants may need. For example, low-cost/ low-risk category one assistive technology and equipment to improve your independence and/or mobility.
• NDIA has now implemented to manage appointments effectively with the use of interpreters. Where possible, an Alert has now been added to the system to notify the staff member that the participant is an Auslan user. This has been added as an additional safeguard to ensure staff are booking interpreters for appointments where needed.

National Relay Service (NRS)

National Relay Service (NRS) will remain open as recent announced restriction DO NOT APPLY to the NRS.

The NRS is an ESSENTIAL service, providing important assistancer to people who are Deaf, hard of hearing and/or speech impairment to keep in touch – and it is VITAL at this time.

However, the NRS is not immune from the widespread impact of COVID-19. Longer than usual wait times may be experienced due to increased call activities and reduced staff numbers.

The NRS Provider, Concentrix, is already exploring ways to continue to deliver the NRS at the greatest capacity possible while protecting the health of relay officers, including delivering the service remotely.

Please be patient during this difficult time.

The NRS Helpdesk is open Monday to Friday from o8am to 6pm (AEST), excluding public holidays. You can also leave message outside these hours and a Helpdesk staff will get back to you.

• Phone : 1800 555 560
• TTY: 1 800 555 630
• Fax: 1800 555 690
• SMS: 0416 001 350
• Online: Online Form
• Email: [email protected]

To receive messages and updates about NRS, sign up to Accesshub News and Alerts

Disability Support Pension (DSP)

In yesterday’s updates (COVID-19 Updates (Centrelink)), Information about accessing additional payments do not include Disability Support Pension (DSP). I am meeting with disability organisations tonight to discuss this matter and will provide you an updates regarding this issue tomorrow.

Centrelink is currently VERY busy … some useful information to help assist you and Centrelink.

• If you have Newstart or other payments, DO NOT contact Centrelink – your extra payment will automatically arrive.
• If you are getting paid, not yet receive extra payment, please WAIT for 1 or 2 days to connect.
• If you have lost your job and need to apply payment ASAP, you can
  • Go online and try to apply through MyGov ASAP. Try again when system is busy. Government will backpay your claim, you don’t need to lodge full claim immediately, but will need later.
  • In person, go to Centrelink and please practice Social Distancing.
• Make a call to 132 850 via National Relay Service (expect queue for NRS and Centrelink).

DONT GIVE UP … Keep trying until you can lodge claim.

Deaf Australia has launched a ‘Deaf Bushfires Appeal’ to raise fund to provide financial assistance for deaf and hard of hearing families whose homes and property have been destroyed by this unprecedented bushfires.

The Daily Moth (an online deaf news delivered in American Sign Language (ASL)) has produced a video blog on this story. You can find this story here.

The fund will be used to provide communication supports and purchase of communication equipments if they are not eligible for other supports. This will enable the family to remain safe and in touch with their communities. Families who receives National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) should contact NDIS immediately.

We understand that communication is vital for deaf and hard of hearing people and without these supports, it would have been extremely difficult to be informed as the bushfires are currently ongoing when there is little, or no communication supports.

It is believed that there are dozen of deaf and hard of hearing families whose houses have been destroyed by the bushfires across Australia.

The target of the Deaf Bushfires Appeal is $25,000. 50% of the funding will be communication supports, 30% for communication equipment and 20% for ongoing work for Deaf Australia to lobby government to legislate the use of interpreter during emergency broadcasts. Families who are affected by the bushfires should contact Deaf Australia at [email protected].

Deaf Australia is a registered charity organisation and uses an approved fundraising donation platform (GiveNow). All donations received are tax deductible.

today to Deaf Bushfires Appeal

Legal Aid NSW provides legal services to disadvantaged clients across NSW in most areas of criminal, family and civil law. People with disability are an important client group for Legal Aid NSW.

Election information in Auslan.

The federal election has now been announced for 7 September 2013 and all Australians have until 8pm on Monday 12 August to enrol to vote or update their enrolment details.
In preparation for the election, the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) has produced an AUSLAN guide to enrolling and voting.
This AUSLAN video guide is hosted on YouTube and provides easy instructions and information for people who use Auslan as their preferred language.
Don’t miss out on having your say! Watch the video and make sure you are enrolled by the due date.
For more information, visit the AEC website: www.aec.gov.au