Participant Support Procedures > Disability Support for Older Australians Program Procedure
Authorised by Chief Executive Officer
Revised Date: 18 June 2021
The Disability Supports for Older Australians Program (formally Continuity of Support) is for only those participants who were over age 65 and receiving service at the time of the NDIS roll out in our region on 1st October 2017. No new over-65 participants are able to access this.
Disability Supports for Older Australians Program (DSOA) is a federally funded program, run by the federal Department of Health.
This procedure supports Kyeema Support Services to apply Standard 3: Provision of Supports
Related legislation and policy
NDIS Quality and Safeguarding Practice Standards 2020
NDIS Commission (Code of Conduct) Rules 2018
Disability Support for Older Australians Department of Health
Definitions
Individual Support Plan (ISP): DSOA service coordinators are required to work with each client to develop an Individual Support Plan (ISP) that outlines the client’s support needs, goals and service delivery preferences and the DSOA supports to help meet those goals.
DSOA ISP Service Agreement: ISP documentation agreed between the service coordinator and client and their carer/advocate/representative.
Client contribution: The financial amount that a client is required to contribute to the cost of the services that they receive under the Grant Agreement. Client contributions can be adjusted annually in line with increases to the Consumer Price Index.
Client contributions
Providers have an obligation to have guidelines regarding client contributions. The following is adapted from the Disability Support for Older Australians Program Manual Version 2 from the Federal Department of Health.
Arrangements operating under state-administered specialist disability services should be maintained under the DSOA Program to provide continuity to clients. That is, service providers will continue the client contribution arrangements that were in place prior to transitioning (and may increase these annually in line with the Consumer Price Index where this has been established practice).
This includes maintaining arrangements where, in some states, clients currently do not pay any client contributions. Prior financial hardship provisions should also be available to clients.
Kyeema does not charge a client contribution for services. However, clients are expected to pay their own out-of-pocket costs for expenses such as food.
Procedure
Kyeema will:
•obtain a signed DSOA Consent to Share Information Form
•coordinate disability support services
o develop an Individual Support Plan with the client or their family, carer, or advocate
o subcontract other providers to deliver services under the client’s Individual Support Plan.
•review the services provided to the client (annually or more often if required) to ensure they’re meeting the client's changing needs.
•arrange independent assessments associated with change of needs applications.
•manage the administration of grant funding (including reporting).
•ensure the quality and safeguard requirements of the DSOA Program.
DSOA Consent Form
The purpose of the DSOA Consent Form is agreement from the client to collect their personal information and for the Department and/or their DSOA provider sharing their personal information with other people who may need it to arrange their participating in the DSOA Program.
Completed consent forms should be returned to CommonwealthDSOA@health.gov.au
•Disability Support for Older Australians Consent to Share Information CCF-88
Individual Support Package (ISP)
From 1 July 2021, DSOA Service Coordinators will need to have an ISP Template attached) in place with each client. The ISP will provide more transparency for clients of their DSOA funding package. A DSOA Consent form will need to be completed as the ISP will contain personal information.
The completed ISP should be returned to your Funding Arrangement Manager
•Disability Support for Older Australians ISP CCF-89
Reporting
Critical/serious/reportable incidents
•DSOA service coordinators are required to comply with relevant NDIS Commission (Code of Conduct) Rules 2018
•For the purposes of the DSOA Program, these incidents include emergencies, deaths, assaults or abuse, serious unexplained injuries and incidents that impact the safety of clients.
A new online system will make it easier to meet the DSOA Program’s reporting requirements. This includes annual performance reporting and financial acquittals, client transfers, exits and change of needs applications.
The DSOA program has financial and performance reporting to be done at the end of each financial year. The government department emails the requests and the appropriate reporting templates.
Main Reports – DSOA Program
|
Report |
Purpose |
Reporting Period |
|
Financial acquittal report |
To facilitate acquittal of funds expended, providing assurance and evidence that public funds have been spent, as specified in the Grant Agreement |
To be provided by 31 August each financial year
|
|
Performance Report |
Reports on service delivery activities |
To be provided by 31 August each financial year |
Training
Staff have appropriate qualifications and/or training
Responsibilities
Main responsibilities of Kyeema are:
•manage and oversee disability support services for each client;
•develop an Individual Support Plan with the client or their carer, advocate or representative;
•deliver disability services directly to the client and/or sub-contract other disability service
providers to deliver services under the client’s Individual Support Plan as appropriate;
•monitor the client, home environment (where applicable) and appropriateness of service
arrangements to ensure the ongoing safety of clients;
•review the services provided to the client annually (or more often as required) to ensure they are meeting the client's changing needs, and review of any Behaviour Support Plans in place;
•organise change of needs applications, including independent assessments, where
appropriate;
•manage the administration of grant funding (including meeting all reporting requirements
under the Program); and
•ensure the quality and safeguard requirements of the NDIS Commission are met, including the National Standards for Disability Services.
Record keeping
Electronic copy: K-drive\Client or Participants\Adult
•Go to adults name
•Go to health folder
Hard copy:
•ISP and Consent forms are kept in the team leader locked filing cabinet
Complaints
Complaints about DSOA Program administration should be raised first by Kyeema with the Funding Arrangement Manager. If the complaint is not able to be resolved at this level, the Funding Arrangement Manager will refer it to the Department for consideration.
If a complaint is not able to be resolved at this level, the complainant may choose to take the matter to the Commonwealth Ombudsman.
Review and Evaluation
Kyeema must undertake an annual review of current services (or more frequently if required) with each of their clients. The client may also seek a review at any time.
Reviews should include consideration of:
•whether the client’s goals are being met;
•what strategies are working and what elements of the client’s services could be improved;
•whether the supports being accessed are meeting the client’s needs, or identifying different or increased client support needs; and
•whether there are any changes in client circumstances.
Related Policies, Procedures and Documents:
Disability Supports for Older Australians Consent to Share Information CCF-88
Disability Supports for Older Australians ISP CCF-89
Disability Support for Older Australians Program (DSOA) Factsheet Department of Health
Disability Support for Older Australians Program Manual Department of Health