Coronavirus

Date: 9 June 2021

Dear clients, families and carers,

I hope you are all well and in good spirits. I am very pleased to advise that the Victorian Government announced that the lockdown will end at 11:59pm on Thursday, 10 June.

This is wonderful news and means that MiLife-Victoria services will re-open on Friday, 11 June. Please see below for more details about each service:

Site-based and community-based day programs

Site-based day programs will run according to the timetable.

Community activities will take place but with some possible adjustments because of restrictions on community venues.

Staff at MiLife-Victoria are currently assessing community activities based on current restrictions and will contact individual families if there are any changes to their activities.

Transport

There are still only five reasons to leave home:

Unfortunately, we will not be able to offer the usual bus transport services at this stage due to density limits. This means that clients wishing to attend on Friday and next week will need to make their own way to site. If you are unable to get to site, please contact us as soon as possible to discuss.

We are hoping that we will be able to provide transport by the end of next week, but the government’s density regulations guide these decisions.

Individual Support (ISP)

In-home support as of Friday 11 June, and local community activities that align with government restrictions within the 25km limit will also resume.

Please remember that as per the Government’s advice, masks are still mandatory indoors, on public transport, and outdoors if a 1.5m distance cannot be maintained, with exemptions for those who cannot wear a mask for medical reasons.

If you need to get in touch to clarify anything please call 9775 7333 or email [email protected].

Please continue to look after yourselves and if you are displaying any symptoms of COVID-19 we ask you to not attend our service/cancel your in home support and get tested. The government is also advising that anyone eligible to get vaccinated should do so.

We look forward to welcoming clients back to site on Friday.

Take care and stay safe.

Kind Regards,

Amanda Youngs

CEO - MiLife-Victoria.

Date: 3 June 2021

Dear clients, families and carers,

I hope that you are keeping well and in good spirits during this latest lockdown.

As you may be aware, the Government has decided to extend the lockdown in Melbourne for a further seven days. This is not the news we were hoping for, but I’m sure in many ways, doesn’t come as a surprise.

Please see below for what MiLife-Victoria is able to do over the next week and some information about government restrictions.

Support for clients

Unfortunately, lockdown extension means that we must continue to pause our usual service delivery with the hope that we will be able to open again from Friday, 11 June 2021.

As with this week, staff will continue be available on site to care for our vulnerable clients who are still attending day program and those ISP clients who require essential support.

For those clients who we supported this week, rest assured that you will continue to be supported into next week. However, as you are aware, transport services are not because of government restrictions.

If you feel that you or your family member are becoming vulnerable, please don’t hesitate to contact us on 9775 7333 as soon as possible to discuss the onsite support we are able to offer during lockdown.

About the lockdown

There are still only five reasons to leave home:

Shopping for necessary goods

Permitted work or education

2-hour exercise outdoor (masks must be worn)

Care giving, compassionate and medical reasons

To get vaccinated

People will be able to travel up to 10km for exercise and shopping, as opposed to the previous 5km limit. Students in year 11 and 12 will return to face-to-face learning, and a number of outdoor jobs such as landscaping, painting, installing solar panels and letterboxing will be added to the added to the list of authorised jobs.

Masks still remain mandatory outside of the home, and it will be mandatory to check in to essential retail, such as supermarkets using a QR code, so that shops can record attendance.

Please continue to take care of yourselves and if you are feeling unwell and displaying symptoms of COVID-19 please get tested. The government is also advising that anyone eligible to get vaccinated should do so.

If you need to get in touch, the office will remain contactable during normal business hours. Please call on 9775 7333 or email [email protected].

We will continue to provide information as we get it and will be back in touch about our services and supports next week.

Take care and stay safe.

Kind Regards,

Amanda Youngs

CEO - MiLife-Victoria.

Date: 27 May 2021

Dear clients, families and carers,

As you may now be aware, the State Government has made the following announcement today in response to the recent COVID outbreak.

From 11.59pm tonight Victoria will have a 7-day circuit breaker lockdown. This means there will be online five reasons to leave home.

Shopping for necessary goods (within 5km of home or your closest supermarket)

Permitted work or education

2-hour exercise outdoor (masks must be worn)

Care giving, compassionate and medical reasons

To get vaccinated

Unfortunately, we need to pause delivering services to most of our clients because of the government’s announcements today. Government wants to avoid any further risk of transmitting this COVID strain and is asking everyone to remain at home.

However, we are able to open our group activities and individual supports to those clients and families who are vulnerable. For those clients and families, you will have received a call today and we will continue to work with you to provide a service. Please note that what we are able to provide over the next week will look different to our normal program and unfortunately, this is outside our control.

If we have not confirmed that you’re able to come to site and you feel that you are vulnerable, please contact us as soon as possible.

We know how difficult lockdown can be for our families and want to continue to support families and clients. If you are doing it tough in the next week, please call us.

We would like to offer our support to all families during this time. Please take care of yourselves and if you are feeling unwell and displaying symptoms of COVID-19 please get tested. The government is also advising that anyone eligible to get vaccinated should do so.

If you need to get in touch the office will remain contactable during normal business hours. Please call on 9775 7333 or email [email protected].

Take care and stay safe.

Kind Regards,

Amanda Youngs

CEO - MiLife-Victoria.

Date: 25 May 2021

Dear clients, families and carers,

As you may be aware, the State Government has today announced new COVID restrictions because of an increase in community infections.

From 6pm tonight wearing face masks indoors is mandatory for those aged 12 years and over, unless exempt for a medical reason. There is also a limit on indoor gatherings with no more than five people in a private home. These restrictions will be in place until 4 June 2021.

At this stage, these changes will not affect the MiLife-Victoria’s service delivery, and all programs at site and in the community will run as usual.

I would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone to please be vigilant. If you are feeling unwell and have flu like symptoms you must remain home and get tested. Once you have returned a negative result and are feeling well, you can then return MiLife-Victoria programs.

Please remember to wash hands or use hand sanitiser frequently to reduce the spread of germs. Clients are also reminded to please check in using the QR code check at each site, check their temperature and unless exempt, wear a mask indoors.

If you have any questions or concerns about these latest restrictions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch on 9775 7333.

Stay safe and keep well.

Kind Regards,

Amanda Youngs.

CEO - MiLife-Victoria

Date: 12 February 2021

Dear MiLife-Victoria Clients, Families and Carers,

As you now know, Victoria has been put into a snap 5‐day lockdown from midnight tonight until midnight Wednesday, 17 February with stage 4 restrictions back in place.

This lockdown means that we will again have to close all non‐essential services and supports.

The criteria for these essential services and support are;

• Support is essential for survival
• The person is at risk
• The family is at risk of breakdown if supports are not provided

If you have not received a phone call then you have been identified as a person/family who does not fit one of the above categories. Should this be the case, your supports and services will cease effective tonight for the next five days. We will resume back to the current operations on Thursday, 18 February unless otherwise advised.

I know these are again very difficult times and ceasing the supports will create confusion and anxiety for everyone however, we must abide by the lockdown to limit the risk of transmission and get on top of this most recent outbreak as much as possible, for everyone’s health, safety and wellbeing.

Please continue to take care and stay safe.

Kind Regards

Terri Carroll

Chief Executive Officer

Date: 11 February 2021

Dear MiLife-Victoria Clients, Families and Carers,

The following information has originated from the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.

The Department of Health will soon release an Implementation Plan for the roll-out of the vaccine to people with disability and disability workers.

Key Points

• The Australian Government Department of Health (DoH) is consulting with state and territory governments, and stakeholders in the disability sector to inform the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccine for people with disability and disability workers.
• A Disability Sector COVID-19 Vaccines Implementation Plan will soon be released, detailing important issues about the rollout.
• The NDIS Commission is supporting the Department of Social Services (DSS) and DoH by helping to communicate important information about the vaccine to NDIS providers and workers.

Roll-out of the vaccination program

COVID-19 vaccines will be made available for free to everyone living in Australia. The Department of Health COVID-19 Vaccines webpage links to important information about the vaccine and will be updated regularly. Safe Work Australia also provides key information about COVID-19 in relation to workplaces.

Australia’s COVID-19 vaccines become available in phases, with priority groups receiving the first doses. Priority groups are identified using public health, medical and epidemiological evidence on who would be most affected if they contracted COVID-19, and those most likely to be exposed.

• In Phase 1a, amongst other priority groups, people with disability living in residential support settings and staff working in these residential support settings will be eligible to receive the vaccine.
• In Phase 1b, younger adults with an underlying medical condition, including those with a disability, and other health care workers will be eligible to receive the vaccine.

COVID-19 Vaccines Implementation Plan for the disability sector

The Commonwealth Department of Health will soon release the Disability Sector COVID-19 Vaccines Implementation Plan. The plan has been developed in consultation with key stakeholders representing people with disability and the disability sector. It will detail the disability sector-specific considerations including the communication and coordination of the vaccination program, and consent.

The NDIS Commission will share the Implementation Plan and any other important information about the disability sector as soon as it becomes available.

This will include frequently asked questions that have come up through the consultation the Department of Health has undertaken with organisations representing the interests of people with disability and industry bodies.

Implementation plans are also under development for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Australians.

Planning and preparedness

The imminent roll out of the COVID-19 vaccine complements other measures that NDIS providers are required to implement to keep NDIS participants safe. Providers should review their emergency and business continuity plans and ensure workers have been trained and have had refreshers on infection control and use of PPE.

Refer to our fact sheet on outbreak preparedness for more information.

Further information, alerts and resources

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) information webpage on the NDIS Commission website contains links to updates, training, alerts and other resources. We also have a COVID-19 webpage containing information for people with disability, and a webpage of frequently asked questions about COVID-19 for all stakeholders.

NDIS participants can also obtain information from the dedicated COVID-19 webpage for participants, which has been published by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA).

Contact Us

Call: 1800 035 544 (free call from landlines). Our contact centre is open 9am to 4.30pm in the NT, 9.00am to 5.00pm in all other states and territories Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.ndiscommission.gov.au

Kind Regards

Terri Carroll

Chief Executive Officer

Date: 30 September 2020

Dear MiLife-Victoria Clients, Families and Carers,

I hope everyone is continuing to stay safe and well in these difficult times.

This year, given the current circumstances and restrictions, we are changing the way our AGM is run.

Virtual AGM

Instead of combining the AGM and broader updates, we will be running a virtual AGM as a standalone event on 3rd November 2020. This will focus on the procedural elements of the AGM: Reports and Election of Members. Only paid members of MiLife-Victoria as at 30th June 2020 can ask questions and vote at the AGM. Such members will automatically receive the details of the virtual AGM in the coming weeks. Any other interested parties who wish to attend can contact me to be provided with the details.

If you have any questions regarding the AGM and are not a paid member, you are, as always, welcome to contact me to discuss. Additionally, the Annual Report and results of the election will be available for public access on the MiLife-Victoria website following the AGM.

Virtual Information Session

Later in the year we are aiming to hold a broader MiLife-Victoria Virtual Information Session to update you on all the work we have been doing behind the scenes and launch our upcoming programs and offerings. This will be an exciting session, and we really encourage everyone to attend. You will automatically receive an invitation to the session, and we hope to see you there. Please let me know if there is any specific information you would like to see covered or any other ways MiLife-Victoria can best support you.

In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact me if there is anything you would like to discuss.

Kind Regards

Terri Carroll

Chief Executive Officer

National Disability Services News Update

11 August 2020

NDS welcomes the announcement by Stuart Robert, Minister for the NDIS of additional workforce support for Victorian providers and participants in residential support settings, as a temporary measure. This includes advice, support staff and isolation accommodation that smaller organisations can access if needed due to the impact of COVID-19. The NDIA has created a panel of four large experienced disability providers to provide this support.

For any identified outbreaks of COVID-19, the NDIA has appointed Aspen Medical to provide a clinical first response. This ensures that Infection Control procedures, PPE and nursing support is immediately in place for residents and workers if needed. NDS welcomes this joint work being undertaken by the Commonwealth and Victorian governments on COVID-19 responses; particularly as disability services are required to report COVID-19 positive cases to both federal and state authorities.

Service providers are encouraged to contact the Victorian Disability Rapid Response Group (DRRG) at [email protected] to initiate supports in the case of a COVID-19 positive case in your service. The DRRG is actively monitoring and rapidly responding to any incidence of COVID-19 amongst people with a disability and service providers.

Call-to-Test Service

The Victorian Government has established a new Call-to-Test service. The service provides in-home testing, conducted by a clinician, to people who can’t easily access other forms of testing. The service is now in operation in the Melbourne metropolitan area. It may be extended to the rest of Victoria.

The service is open to Victorians who:

• are symptomatic
• are over 5 years of age
• have a referral from their GP, and
• meet eligibility criteria

The following people are eligible for the in-home testing service:

• a person with an injury, chronic health issue, or frailty affecting mobility
• a person with moderate to severe physical or psychosocial disability
• a person with moderate to severe mental health or behavioural issues not otherwise classified as a psychosocial disability
• a carer for a person with moderate to severe disability.

People without symptoms may be eligible if they have been identified by DHHS as being a close contact, have received direction from DHHS to be tested, and meet any of the criteria detailed above.

For more information and to discuss eligibility, please call the coronavirus (COVID-19) hotline on 1800 675 398 and select option 9.

Contact Information

For any enquiries, please contact Sarah Fordyce, Acting State Manager Victoria, 03 8341 4303, [email protected].

Date: 23 September 2020

Dear MiLife-Victoria Clients, Families and Carers,

Its been a few weeks since I have written to you and I hope you are all doing ok. These really tough and strict lockdown measures have been very hard to live with but, the numbers are coming down and light is finally peeking through the end of the tunnel. I am sure you are all looking forward to seeing your families and friends as much as we here are too. Hopefully, if things keep going the way they have been, we may get an early reprieve, here’s hoping!

Things are ticking along in the background here as we wait for the restrictions to ease and we can open up again. Unfortunately, the directions that came out recently meant that we are not likely to have group programs start again until late October (unless the advice changes and we can get back going earlier). In saying this though, if any person or family is feeling overwhelmed and in need of (your person) coming back, please do not hesitate to contact us so we can arrange for supports to resume again.

When we do have group activities resume, we will be putting the timetable that was running in stage 3 lockdown, back into place. This will continue through until Christmas time where we will take a short break before starting back fresh in the New Year.

A new look MiLife-Victoria will be launched later in the year for 2021. COVID-19 has forced us to review what we do and make changes for our ongoing survival. Hours will be extended as well as the days of the week and there will be more options for people to choose from. Our business units have been defined and each will have a menu of activities to accompany them. More information on the launch and ‘new look’ MiLife-Victoria will be sent out in the coming months.

It has been a very long year and it is not over yet, not by a long shot. I would like to take this opportunity though, to thank all those who have sent positive messages of support over the last six months or so, they have been very warmly received and very, very much appreciated.

Please remember, if you are needing any support or someone to chat to, we are only a call away.

Until next time, continue to take care and stay safe.

Kind Regards

Terri Carroll

Chief Executive Officer

Date: 13 August 2020

Dear MiLife-Victoria Clients, Families and Carers

We are now past our first week in lockdown and I do hope you are all doing okay! It is really tough going not to be able to be get out and about, be with family and friends or go about our daily lives with these current restrictions in place. We can all take heart though that with everyone doing the right thing that the numbers will come down and hopefully we will get back to (semi) normal again very soon.

I wanted to write and keep you up to date with how we are managing through this stage 4 lockdown. As you already know, group services have had to cease however, we are maintaining supports to those on the essential services list and our Support Coordination is still operating.

For essential clients we have our direct care staff that can and are available to work, grouped into small teams to provide support. This is so that if one staff member becomes sick or needs to take leave, we still have other staff who can go in and provide the support.

For those remaining staff unable to work we are keeping them connected through our weekly zoom meetings and arranging new and refresher training where possible. Admin has had some changes too. Nearly everyone is working from home where they can and a small skeleton staff are at the office each day. Regardless of the changes, we are still contactable either on our mobiles or through the office.

In the last week we have implemented the required COVID safe plans for all work places including those homes where we have staff going in to support people. We have also issued staff with the necessary and work permits so that if they are picked up at any time by the police, they can demonstrate who they are working for and where they are going.

We have our online activities and we are in the process of developing more to help keep everyone engaged and connected. We will be offering more personalised zoom activities and would be happy to take requests for this too. Please contact Popi if you have any ideas and keep an eye out for more information on the new zoom activities as they will be coming out soon.

As these weeks go on, if things are getting tougher at home and you feel you do need support or you just want to talk, please call us so we can help.

Continue to take care and stay safe.

Kind Regards

Terri Carroll

Chief Executive Officer

Date: 3 August 2020

Dear MiLife-Victoria Clients, Families and Carers

As you know Victoria has been declared as a State of Disaster and as of last night we are now under stage 4 restrictions.

Whilst we have managed to continue with (albeit) some limited services, these new restrictions mean that we will now have to close all non-essential services and supports.

The criteria for these essential services and support are;

• 1. Support is essential for survival
• 2. The person is at risk
• 3. The family is at risk of breakdown if supports are not provided

If you have not received a phone call then you have been identified as a person/family who does not fit one of the above categories. Should this be the case, your supports and services will cease effective of Wednesday 5th August for the next 6 weeks or until the restrictions are eased.

We will continue to run an online timetable and will be adding more activities including options for more personalised 1-1 sessions. Information on this will be sent out by the end of the week.

I know these are very difficult times and ceasing the supports will add further pressure and strain on everyone however, we must abide by the new restrictions and limit the risk of transmission as much as possible, for everyone’s health, safety and wellbeing.

We will be checking in with you from time to time over the next 6 weeks to say hi and see that you are doing okay however, if your circumstances do change or you are experiencing any difficulties at all, please do not hesitate to call us so we can discuss how we can assist you.

Please continue to take care and stay safe.

Kind Regards

Terri Carroll

Chief Executive Officer

Date: 21 July 2020

Dear MiLife-Victoria Clients, Families and Carers

The Premier Dan Andrews announced on Sunday that from 11:59pm on Wednesday 22 July, people who live in Metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire will be required to wear a face covering when leaving home for one of the four permitted reasons:

• Work
• Care and Caregiving
• Shopping
• Medical

So, what does this mean for us?

On Monday 20th July, all MiLife-Victoria staff commenced wearing masks whilst at work whether they are attending a MiLife-Victoria site or whilst supporting you in your home.

Commencing Thursday 23rd July, clients coming into a site for group programs will be required to wear a face covering whilst on MiLife-Victoria transport and throughout the day.

Guidelines state that a mask can be worn for up to 4 hours so please send in your persons bag at least two masks each day. Staff will make sure these are changed and disposed of correctly throughout the day.

We are recommending that you contact your persons medical professional and ask for a medical certificate if your person can not wear a face mask due to a medical condition or if you believe they will not leave one on. When they attend the site please send this medical certificate in with them in case we require this information. Please do not hesitate to reach out and call if you are experiencing any difficulty or need additional support and we will do our very best to help in any way we can.

Stay safe and well.

Kind Regards

Kath Moodie

Area Manager

Date: 8 July 2020

Dear MiLife-Victoria Clients, Families and Carers

As you will now know, the Premier Dan Andrews announced yesterday that we are again heading into lockdown for the next 6 weeks, as of midnight tonight. Whilst this is not what anyone wanted it was necessary action that had to be taken. Had the decision been delayed any longer, more suburbs across Melbourne would be impacted by the infections with more and more people getting sick just like it is happening for those in the north of the city.

So, what does this mean for us? Well at this stage and until further advised by the authorities, we will continue on as we have been with the supports and services currently provided. This means that for those coming into a site for group programs, this will continue as will the 1-1 supports for those at home. The online activities will also continue with more being offered in the coming weeks. The only real change is for those who may have been accessing community over the last couple of weeks, will now not be able to do so.

These are strange and very difficult times for all of us. We need to stay positive, continue to adhere to the rules for social distancing and practicing safe hygiene and limit our travel outside of the home to the following four reasons;

• Work and education
• Care and Care Giving
• Shopping
• Medical

I would like to thank everyone for your continued support of MiLife through attendance in programs and activities either at home, online or at a one of the sites. It is no secret that this pandemic is having a disastrous impact on businesses and we are not exempt from that. However, with your faith and support in us, we have been able to continue to keep the business going and work through this situation together.

As I have said before, this is going to be a long battle and we all need to be prepared and do everything we can to stay safe to get through it. Please do not hesitate to reach out and call if you are experiencing any difficulty or need additional support and we will do our very best to help in any way we can.

Stay safe and well.

Kind Regards

Terri Carroll

Chief Executive Officer.

Date: 2 July 2020

Dear MiLife-Victoria Clients, Families and Carers

As you would be aware the number of Coronavirus cases in Victoria is on the increase with a number of ‘hot spot’ areas identified. As of today, measures across 36 suburbs in the North and North-West of Melbourne will be put into place with approx. 300,000 residents and businesses again forced into lockdown. At this stage these suburbs do not affect our business or the supports we provide to you however, this is a timely reminder to maintain our vigilance to keep safe at work and in our personal lives. If this situation changes and the infections continue to rise, suburbs around us may also go into lock-down too. This will significantly impact everything that we are doing now and everything that we have worked so hard to achieved to date.

We are all constantly reminding everyone to practise good hygiene and social distancing as well as asking people to consider what they are doing outside of work and in their personal time. Community transmission is high so we are asking that everyone as much as possible limits their exposure and stay home wherever possible. Together with good hygiene practices, this is the only way to control the spread of the virus.

We are constantly updating our work procedures with new measures to minimise contamination as much as possible and undertaking audits to make sure staff are following them diligently. This includes cleaning throughout the day and after everyone has gone home.

To enhance our preventative measures, we are now asking that all clients do the following:-

• If attending a group activity as a site, to bring in a cup clearly labelled and for personal use. This will be washed through the dishwasher and will remain onsite.
• Where food is sent in and requires a knife, fork or spoon to eat it with, that this is to be bought in and will go home each day.
• Limit the number of items bought from home to only those that are essential as these are to be included in the cleaning routine during the day (i.e. iPad, books, bags etc.)
• Where people are receiving 1-1 support, any community access should be limited in both time and only to places where few people congregate. If social distancing cannot be managed then the activity cannot go ahead.

It is also timely to ask that if you are attending another service or receiving supports from another provider that you please let us know as soon as possible. This is so that if there is a positive case identified, we can take all the appropriate steps to notify the appropriate people and contact trace as required. Please call and speak to Popi who will add this information to your file.

These are incredibly challenging and uncertain times for everyone but, please be assured that we will continue to do our very best to maintain a safe environment for all, remain vigilant with our protocols and limit as much as possible our exposure to others, at work and at home.

If you have any concerns or questions about any of the above, please feel free to contact myself or any of the team at the office.

Kind Regards

Terri Carroll

Chief Executive Officer.

Date: 26 June 2020

Dear MiLife-Victoria Clients, Families and Carers

As part of the National Disability Insurance Agency’s (NDIA) ongoing review of its policies and procedures, we are advised that there have been some minor as well as some very fundamental changes that may affect you and the supports that are provided by MiLife-Victoria from 1st of July 2020.

For the purposes of this letter, I would like to draw your attention to some of the areas that will be impacted from the services and supports you receive from MiLife-

Victoria from the 1st July only.

These are:

• Provider Travel
• Removal of COVID-19 loading and price increase and;
• Cancellations

Provider Travel

The Agency now allows us to pass on a charge for the non-labour cost of travelling between clients or as part of an activity in the community, against your NDIS Plan.

Although we have previously been able to claim for the time that our staff were travelling, we have had to bare the additional costs of fuel, tolls and parking from other areas of our business. The impact on your NDIS Plan will depend on the kilometres travelled for programs and supports as for a non-modified vehicle, the charge is $0.85 a kilometre and for a bus or modified vehicles this cost is $2.40 a kilometre.

We will work with you and provide an estimate on what this charge will be based on your activities (pre COVID-19) so you can understand the impact to your plan and determine if any changes are required.

Cancellations

Several months ago, and as part of the broader COVID-19 changes to the Scheme, the Agency advised that it had changed the short-notice cancellation policy from 2 business days’ notice, to 10 business days.

From 1 July, we will revert to the 2 business days’ notice required from you if you’re not able to attend your supports. If you do not provide us with the required notice, we will claim 100% of the agreed fee associated with the activity you were scheduled to be part of.

Removal of COVID-19 Loading and Price increase

As with the changes to the NDIS cancellation policy, the 10% price increase to some of the supports given to Providers in April 2020 to cover the cost of personal protection equipment and additional cleaning of the sites etc. to ensure the safety and health of clients has been removed.

A small price increase (of up to 1.2% for group supports) has been passed on to Providers from 1 July 2020. Clients NDIS Plans will be automatically increased by the Agency to ensure that there are enough funds to cover the increase.

What do you need to do?

If you understand the information included in this letter, you do not need to do anything.

If you are unsure how the changes documented in this letter impact you, please contact Popi Goulas, our NDIS Customer Administrator who will be able to answer any questions you might have. She can be contacted Monday to Friday before 3:30pm on (03) 9775 7333 or by email at [email protected].

I will be writing to you again very soon to explain in detail the other more fundamental changes as advised in the price guide and in particular how these will be implemented at MiLife-Victoria including our timeframe for implementation.

If you have any questions in the meantime do not hesitate to contact the office and ask to speak with either Terri or myself.

Yours Sincerely,

Ross Mackay

Chief Financial Officer.

Royal Commission News

Posted 26 June 2020

Hearings resume with a COVID-19 focus

The Royal Commission has announced a public hearing on the impact of COVID-19 on people with disability. It will be held in Sydney during the week commencing 17 August and is the first since public events were placed on hold due to the pandemic. It follows the release of an issues paper on Emergency Planning and Response. Some engagement with the public is resuming online, with a meeting held with Victorian First Nations organisations earlier this month.

Private Sessions

Private sessions continue to be suspended due to COVID-19, but anyone wishing to tell their story privately to the Royal Commission can request a private session. The confidentiality of those contributing to the Royal Commission was raised in the Senate last week, with a motion calling on the Government to legislate protections beyond the life of the inquiry. The Government indicated a decision on this will be made shortly.

Practice Guidelines open for feedback

The Royal Commission has updated its practice guidelines, and is seeking feedback from interested parties by Friday 30 June. Some guidelines have been changed from those released in September 2019, but much remains the same. Guidelines on Private Sessions and Leave to Appear have been added. Members may wish to provide comment in consultation with any legal support they have engaged.

Support for Providers

Behaviour support

Five films on the Foundations of Positive Behaviour Support have been released as part of the Zero Tolerance initiative.

Three Practice Leadership Workshops for Behaviour Support Practitioners are now available to view.

Restrictive Practices

A recording of a workshop on Recognising Behaviour Support Practitioners is now available to view.

Code of Conduct

Two upcoming Code of Conduct train-the-trainer workshops are now “wait list only”. Seven Code of Conduct films will be released soon.

Issues Paper

An issues paper on First Nations people with disability was released, making five papers currently open for response:

• Emergency planning and response (due 17 Jul)
• Rights and attitudes (due 31 Jul)
• Employment (due 14 Aug)
• Restrictive practices (due 28 Aug)
• First Nations people with disability (due 11 Sep)

Follow the links above for more information, and details for providing your input to NDS.

New expert panel

NDS is pleased to introduce Purpose at Work, our first Governance expert panel member. Purpose at Work will be offering Right on Board, a program directed at Board members, which considers quality and safeguarding from a human-rights perspective.

Expert panellist Law in Order has described how they have assisted clients to respond to Notices to Produce in tight timelines.

Events

Registrations for a Zero Tolerance webinar on preventing abuse, neglect and violence towards people with disability are now full, however a recording of the webinar will be made available on the NDS website. We will provide a link in this newsletter when it’s available.

How are we doing?

We’re interested to hear what you think about our Royal Commission work, and any suggestions about how we can support you in the future. Feedback can be sent to Henry Newton.

If you have any questions please contact Philippa Angley, Head of Policy, 03 8341 4302, [email protected] or Henry Newton, Senior Policy Officer, 03 8341 4323, [email protected].

Dear Clients, Families and Carers,

As you will have all heard there has been a number of restrictions eased in Victoria that came into place last week. People are now able to have more people in their homes, gather outdoors and can participate in some recreation activities such as golf and fishing. However, regardless of the easing of the restrictions, full social distancing and hygiene practices remain in place.

We have been working through what this means for us and what the potential implications of these eased restrictions might have on what we do and the supports we provide. The most immediate issue that comes to mind is that the more contact we have with people, this means a greater risk of coming in contact with the virus and therefore greater risk of contracting it and transmitting it on to clients and their families.

On the positive side, the easing of restrictions may give you more confidence to resume supports and as such we will need staff available to provide this support. To this end, as of Monday, 25 May, all staff whom have been in hibernation will be returning to work.

In light of the increased risks, before we go introducing more face to face programs and activities, we will be implementing some new measures as well as revisiting some old ones starting Monday, 25 May. Such measures are contactless thermometer testing for all staff and clients prior to entry and throughout the day, audit checks for cleaning and maintaining social distancing measures, training and re-training on topics such as infection control, incident reporting, journal notes, just to name a few. Protocols for how the testing will be conducted will be sent out to you all prior to their introduction.

It is vitally important that we all do our very best to make sure we continue to stay safe and avoid putting ourselves in a situation where we could contract the virus and give it to someone else. To this end, I encourage you all if you have not done already so, to download the COVIDSafe app onto your phone.

All staff have strongly been encouraged to get the flu vaccination as I strongly urge you to do also. Every opportunity we can take to keep safe, we must take it.

The following were reminders sent out to staff today as they work with your person. Many are as applicable to you as it is for them;

1. Wash your hands with soap and water as soon as you enter your workplace and regularly throughout the day. Use hand sanitiser if you cannot use soap and water.

2. Avoid touching your face

3. Bring your lunch to work, including cup and utensils

4. Carry a full spare set of clothes in your car should you need it

5. Ensure all social distancing measures are followed including encouraging clients to maintain their distance with you and each other

6. Remove the tea towels from the kitchen and use paper towels

7. If you have a temperature or are not feeling well, do not come to work

8. Avoid spending time with people outside of work and where you are doing this, keep to the rules and keep your distance.

The implications of the COVID-19 pandemic are going to be with us for a very long time to come. We are working hard to build back up our programs and activities and as such we must ensure that we continue to keep people safe.

We fully understand our obligations to provide and maintain not only a safe environment for your person but, that we are keeping ourselves safe at all times too. The risks of contracting the virus are going to be much higher now that the restrictions are easing and this means we have to step up our vigilance. We appreciate you continuing to support us and keep up your vigilance too.

I hope you continue to stay safe and well, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

Kind Regards,

Terri Carroll

CEO MiLife-Victoria Inc.

The Australian Government Department of Health has published resources to assist NDIS participants, their families, support workers and carers, health professionals, and home care providers who support people with disability.

Key points

• The Australian Government Department of Health has created a webpage with COVID-19 advice for people with disability.
• They have also developed ten new fact sheets to assist families of people with disability, support workers and carers, health professionals and home care providers.
• We encourage you to read and share the relevant resources with the NDIS participants you support, their families and your workers.

Australian Government Department of Health resources

Information for people with disability

In our provider alert on 7 May 2020, we linked to the Australian Government Department of Health’s webpage called COVID-19 advice for people with disability. This webpage explains how people with disability can protect themselves from COVID-19, including through good hygiene, physical distancing, avoiding public gatherings, isolating if they are sick, and finding safe and alternative ways to get the services they need.

The Department of Health has now issued ten new fact sheets to assist families of people with disability, as well as support workers and carers, health professionals and home care providers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Families of a person with intellectual or developmental disability

• Information for families: information to support families of a person with intellectual or developmental disability during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Support workers and carers

• Information for disability support providers and workers: guidance to assist people with intellectual or developmental disability to access health care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Guide to personal protective equipment (PPE) for disability care providers: guidance on using PPE to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
• Information for support workers and carers on coronavirus (COVID-19) testing for people with disability: covers who should be tested, where testing can be done, and how to explain the testing process to a person with disability.

Health professionals

• Information for health workers in emergency departments: for health workers in emergency departments who provide health care to people with intellectual or developmental disability during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Information for health workers in hospitals: for health workers in hospitals who provide health care to people with intellectual or developmental disability during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Information for health workers: for health workers providing care to people with intellectual or developmental disability during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Information for health and mental health workers: for health and mental health workers providing care to people with intellectual or developmental disability during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Information for primary health care staff: for primary health care staff and services, including general practitioners (GPs), providing care to people with intellectual or developmental disability during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Home care providers

• Coronavirus (COVID-19) guide for home care providers: guidance on staying safe from COVID-19 for providers of aged care and disability services who offer home care and support services to people living at home.
The fact sheets are available on the Department of Health’s COVID-19 advice for people with disability webpage. We also link to them from our COVID-19 information webpage, and our COVID-19 information for people with disability webpage.

Contact Us

Call: 1800 035 544 (free call from landlines). Our contact centre is open 9.00am to 4.30pm in the NT, 9.00am to 5.00pm in the ACT, NSW, QLD, SA, TAS and VIC Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.ndiscommission.gov.au

From the Commissioner

Thank you to people with disability, family, carers and everyone who has continued to call our office at this time of COVID19 and raise important concerns about the challenges of balancing social distancing and human rights.

This is a challenging time for us all. We know it’s particularly difficult not to visit those you care about or to do all the things you would normally do. Ensuring the health and safety of all Victorians during this period will require care, compassion and cooperation between organisations, and increased communication with people with disability and their support networks. It is vitally important that we continue to work together and adapt our daily lives and practices to minimise risks for all.

Whilst restrictions around some activities have been eased we all need to remain vigilant and not become complacent. The links to the latest DHHS advice are listed below.

DSC is continuing work on our submission to the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability. We encourage everyone to take this opportunity to speak up and be involved in the Royal Commission.

You may be aware but I also wanted to advise you that the Victorian Government has decided to appoint a single person to be both the Disability Services Commissioner and the Mental Health Complaints Commissioner with effect from 1 July 2020. We can expect further information regarding this appointment in the coming month.

From the Deputy Disability Services Commissioner - Samantha Dooley

I have been privileged to be Acting Deputy Commissioner, since October 2019 and I am looking forward to continuing in this role in the months ahead. Having worked at DSC for six years, I am mindful that there is more change than ever in the disability sector, and that makes it an exciting time, as well as a challenging time.

Right now, we are looking at ways to ensure safeguarding and ways for people to speak up are maintained for the duration of the pandemic and beyond. This has helped us think about how we can better support people when we are not able to have face to face meetings and visits. These improvements will make it easier for everyone, particularly people in regional and rural areas to have contact with our office into the future.

DSC is continuing to work with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, the agency responsible for complaints about NDIS service providers, and other organisations to ensure anyone who wants to speak up and make a complaint has details of how to do this.

Anyone can make a complaint to DSC about the provision of a disability service by a regulated Victorian disability service provider. Whether you are a person with a disability, a family member or friend of someone with a disability, a staff member, carer, or a member of the community – you have the right to make a complaint.

To make a complaint about a DHHS transfer home or a state funded disability service, or TAC funded service you can contact us on 1800 677 342.

To make a complaint about an NDIS funded service please visit the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission website.

From the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner

Thank you to disability support workers

The work you do is not always visible but is incredibly important for people with disability and our community.

We want to acknowledge the incredible work you’re doing as frontline service workers, particularly in these challenging times of Covid-19. We know many of you are going above and beyond to provide a safe and supportive environment for all people with disability. We see your efforts, we hear what you are saying, and we are grateful.

We also want to acknowledge the great efforts by many Disability Support organisations for their efforts in maintaining the essential support for people with a disability and their families and in responding to the serious challenges of COVID -19.

Coronavirus Information

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) provide regular updates about the progress being made to ‘flatten the curve’, as well as information about changes to health polices, news and services.

To stay up to date with the latest information, please look at the information available on the following websites:

dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus

australia.gov.au

health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert

DSS information for people with disability & their supporters

NDIS Coronavirus information

To speak to someone, the National Coronavirus Health Information Line that is open all day every day: 1800 020 080 There is also the COVID-19 Disability Information Helpline 1800 643 787

If you want to limit the amount of coverage but need the key updates about restrictions, a Coronavirus Australia app is available from the  Apple App Store and on  Google Play, and was launched alongside the Government's new  WhatsApp feature.

The WhatsApp account acts like a messenger bot and provides people with updates when they type in a number or emoji. To get information this way, please visit oz.gov.au/whatsapp.

You can also find information about the precautions taken by service providers on their websites, or by calling them.

Dear Clients, Families and Carers,

I hope my email update finds you all well. It is a strange time that we find ourselves in, settling into what appears to be a new normal. As we all wait for further information on what news there will be regarding lifting (hopefully) of some of the current imposed restrictions, I thought it would be timely to share with you a quick update on what we have planned for this time.

As you are already aware, we have quite a number of online activities occurring both during the day and of a Friday night and apart from a few technical hiccups, these have been well attended. We also have some people back at the Cranbourne and Langwarrin sites, participating in group activities as well as joining some of the online activities too whilst still keeping to the social distancing rules and regular sanitising as required.

There is still capacity to have one or two more groups at Langwarrin without breaking the social distancing rules that are in place now however, I would like to wait just a little longer until after May 11th to hear the announcements and obtain a better understanding of how much we can expand and get people back to activities if they want to.

Regardless of any relaxation of the rules, life today is going to be with us for some time to come and in fact I think that for many, the changes particularly with technology and accessing activities online, will form a big part of their future post the pandemic. For many this new way of doing things has opened up a world where once was thought not possible. Technology allows people independence and gives control in ways that people have never had before which is very exciting.

Whilst we have lots of ideas we would really like to hear if you have any that you would like us to explore to either start up or consider for the future. Please let me know as we are keen to explore all options.

As always, please call if you have any questions or concerns and, in the meantime, I will continue to provide further updates as often as I can.

Continue to take care and be safe.

Kind Regards,

Terri Carroll

CEO MiLife-Victoria Inc.

Dear Clients, Families and Carers,

The Minister for Health, Greg Hunt and the Chief Medical Officer have just released the COVIDSafe app. This app is designed to help keep you, your family and the community safe from the spread of coronavirus.

The app is designed to track people who may have been exposed to the virus. Which means, if you become diagnosed with coronavirus you won’t have to recall who you have been close to or where you’ve been. The app will help to track those who you have been close to who also may have been exposed to the virus.

This also means that if you are exposed to someone who has coronavirus (and also has the app) you will be alerted so you can then ensure that you don’t infect others.

The app is only for the purpose of tracing contacts during the coronavirus pandemic. It will not be used in any other way, in fact it would be a criminal offence to use it for anything other than what it has been designed for.

At the end of the Australian Pandemic, users will be prompted to delete the app from their phone and all information the app has collected during the pandemic will be destroyed.

The app is completely voluntary however, I would like to encourage everyone to download it so we can ensure a quick response to COVID-19 should an outbreak occur.

How to download the app:

1. Go to the app store on your phone and type in COVIDsafe

2. Press “Get” and download the app to your phone

3. Click through the information and tick “I Consent” to register your consent to the Department of Health collecting your information to allow tracing should you test positive and to contact you if a person you’ve been in contact with who also has the app test positive.

4. Type in your full name, your age and your postcode.

5. Make sure you keep your phone with you when you leave home, keep the app running and keep Bluetooth on.

If you’re unsure about this or need help downloading the app please feel free to contact the office and we can talk you through it.

Kind Regards,

Terri Carroll

CEO MiLife-Victoria Inc.

Dear Clients, Families and Carers,

I hope you all had a lovely Easter break and were spoilt with a visit from the Easter Bunny!

Whilst it has been very difficult to stay at home and follow the government guidelines for social distancing, these measures are working, and it is tremendous to see that the curve has now flattened. We have had a few calls from families asking when we will be returning to running normal programs but unfortunately, there will be no change to our current circumstances until the restrictions for social distancing have eased.

We are doing everything we can to keep in contact and get people engaged back with their friends. To this end the online activities will be underway in the coming days. Kate and Popi are working through the responses we have received so far and are pulling together a timetable that will work for everyone. Several people have been approved to purchase and iPad or Laptop from their NDIS core funding which, once received, they will join in on the fun too. If you want to know more about this, please call us at the office.

From a staffing perspective, we have 8 direct care and 4 administration staff seconded over to focus in the last two weeks. Whilst the shifts for the direct care staff are slow in coming, we are hopeful that this will pick up very soon. Of the admin staff, Katie and Amanda went across a couple of weeks ago and both Alison Lord (Quality and NDIS Administration) and Kath Moodie (Area Manager) went across starting this Tuesday. Both Kath and Alison will be at focus on a month to month basis whereas Katie and Amanda could be there for up to six months.

We have had numerous requests from families to support their person at home in a 1-1 capacity. I am very pleased to say that we have been able to fill these requests with staff whom have not been put into hibernation and remain active workers. If you do not have this arrangement in place and would like to consider it, please call us as we have staff who are only too willing to come in and provide support to people as and when it is required. It is very important to keep people engaged and connected as much as possible particularly during these difficult times.

I will continue to provide updates however, if you have any questions or concerns about anything, please do not hesitate to contact the office and speak to either myself or one of the team.

I hope you all continue to stay safe.

Kind Regards,

Terri Carroll

CEO MiLife-Victoria Inc.

Dear Clients, Families and Carers,

Last week I advised you that we were considering ways we could interact with each other online. We have created a timetable with a broad range of activities that will allow you to be active, use your mind and engage with others.

If you are interested in participating in these online activities you will need to consider the following:

Do you or your person have access to an iPad/ tablet or computer/ laptop?

Do you or your person have access to the internet?

Can you or your person use your device independently?

Does your person require support at home to participate?

Attached to this email is a timetable of activities for you and your person's consideration. A Manager will be calling you in the next few days to find out your interest and if so which activities you would like to participate in.

Please note, all activities will be billed at the NDIS group rate and facilitated by a MiLife-Victoria staff member.

Please let us know when we call if you do not have the available technology so we can discuss alternative options that may be available.

Online Activity Descriptions
MiLife Victoria Online timetable

Kind Regards,

Terri Carroll

CEO MiLife-Victoria Inc.

Dear Clients, Families and Carers,

I do hope this last week has been not too difficult for you and your loved ones and that you are keeping safe and well during these difficult times.

While our group programs and services may have ceased, we have been very busy over the last week researching every angle possible to help us keep functioning and commercially viable through this crisis to make sure we are here when this pandemic ends.

We welcomed the Government’s announcement of the Job Keeper subsidy and are looking at how this applies to our staff. While the incentive will help us financially, the key is to keep staff working and ready and available for when our services pick back up again.

It has been very pleasing to see several people take up the opportunity to have staff come in to their home and provide supports on a 1-1 basis. This not only engages the person and takes the pressure off family by giving them a necessary break, but it also provides staff with continued work. Please do not hesitate to call us if you would like to implement 1-1 supports in your home as well.

As we expect that this situation will going on for many weeks and months ahead, we are looking at ways that we can keep people engaged and connected to their friends and staff. We are working on ways that can set up online groups for activities such as music, music and dance, disco/dance parties, movement and gentle exercise and more passive activities such as games, media and current affairs, social chat rooms, book and movie reviews etc. This is just a few of the ideas that we have come up with so far and welcome your input on other ideas that you may have too.

Obviously, these programs will be reliant on people having technology such as a lap top or tablet device to access these activities. Where this is not available, we have now been advised that it can be purchased using funding from “consumables” in your NDIS plan. If your person does not have consumables in their plan, you can request a review. Your Support Coordinator can assist with this or if you do not have a Support Coordinator, call us as we have this capacity and can work with you to apply for a review.

We will be sending out a letter early next week to receive expressions of interest for this new online type of support. Based on the interest we receive, we will get the activities up and running as soon as possible. Another option to think about is converting some hours to 1-1 support and have the staff member support your person in home to access the online group if they cannot manage this themselves.

If you have any questions or ideas, please do not hesitate to contact us at the office. I hope you all have a lovely weekend and continue to stay safe.

Kind Regards,

Terri Carroll

CEO MiLife-Victoria Inc.

Dear Clients, Families and Carers,

I hope you are holding up during these stressful times and all staying home and safe as much as you can.

As you know, things are progressing rapidly as we deal with the fallout of the COVID-19 virus that is gripping the country and world right now. No one is immune from this fallout, including everyone here at MiLife-Victoria.

Although we have done everything we can to keep our doors open and provide group services to those who want and need it, the number of clients that have stopped coming in to us is now around 75%. This, together with further social distancing measures we are expecting to be put into place today and over the weekend, means that from 5pm today and until further notice, all group centre based and ACFE services will close. This has been an incredibly difficult decision I have had to make however, it is in the best interests of everyone’s health and safety that I take this action.

I am very aware that this decision will put many of you under enormous strain and in some cases more strain than you are already experiencing. Therefore, we will be calling every one of you later today and over the weekend to talk about your situation and look at ways of how we can possibly help.

We are in extraordinary times right now and this has been recognised by the NDIA through the recent release where people who do not have Support Coordination in their plans, can now use their core funding to get this service. I have attached this advice in case you have not seen it already.

If this is you, I am urging you to seriously consider this option. As the weeks go on, a Support Coordinator will be a necessary link for you to coordinate urgent supports now or in the future. This support will be necessary in circumstances where you, your person or a family member may get sick, if you cannot get out to buy essential items due to your extended care arrangements or you need a review of your plan as your funding has run down earlier than expected due to needing 1-1 supports that you otherwise would not have had.

MiLife-Victoria is a registered Support Coordination Service and we can offer this service to you if you would like it. Alternatively, if you would like to source another Support Coordination service independent of us, you can certainly do this also. Please let us know and we can forward their details.

When one of my team contact you, they will talk through your home situation now and discuss whether you would like to have Support Coordination and/or 1-1 support for your person at home. One to one support does not necessarily need to be all day or even every day, it may be for a few hours a day, in a week or even a fortnight. One to one support in home could be for engagement of your person in a specific activity (cooking, household skills, games, literacy/numeracy sessions etc), for social interaction or it could be for times where shopping is required, and you cannot take your person that the staff member could come in and be at home during this time. Please have a think about this so you are prepared when you get the call.

In the last week I have had to scale back much of our operations here at MiLife-Victoria to remain viable now and in the future. I want to take this opportunity to explain to you what these measures have been so that you are fully aware of everything humanly possible that we are doing to get through and be able to scale up (if we can) when this is all over.

To date the following has been done;

1. Reduction of staff every day to only what is required

2. Starting next week and where possible, secondment of staff to focus for those staffs contracted hours that we cannot fulfil

3. Starting next week secondment of 2 Admin staff to focus (1.4 EFT)

4. Temporary stand down of Admin staff member (.9EFT)

5. Temporary stand down of Rostering Manager (1EFT)

6. Temporary stand down of an Area Manager (1EFT)

7. 100% reduction of wage for the CEO for next 3 months

8. Negotiated reduction of hours of full-time direct staff

9. Reallocation of hours of full-time direct staff to cover ISP shifts

I am thankful to all those staff who have taken up the opportunity to be seconded to focus, as this will be their lifeline to continued employment until things improve. I am equally thankful to those staffs whom have been flexible to date and have shifted their hours to other days or times through the week. Both actions are a wonderful demonstration of their continued support of clients, families and the organisation during these difficult times.

This is a very stressful time for everyone so please do not hesitate to reach out if you need to talk or are worried about anything. We are in this together and we all need to stay focussed and as positive as best we can.

If you would like to talk to someone or have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to contact any of the following people at any time;

Terri Carroll, CEO on 0413018329

Ross Mackay, CFO on 0423 873 409

Kath Moodie, Pandemic Operations Manager on 0400 332 851

Kate Clipsham, Area Manager on 0432 667 995

Popi Goulas, NDIS Client Administration Manager on 0448 447 225

Ros Tindal, Assets Manager on 0423 873 409

Continue to stay safe and well.

Regards,

Terri Carroll

CEO MiLife-Victoria Inc.

Dear Clients, Families and Carers,

As you know things are rapidly changing with more and more business closures because of the COVID-19 virus. It is expected that in addition to schools, cafes, clubs etc that have closed already, there will be further closures this week (except for essential services).

Please be assured that Disability Services like MiLife-Victoria are classed as essential services and do not fall under the category of schools or higher education. Therefore, we will be doing everything we can to stay open and provide our services in individual support at home, centre based activities and ACFE programs and as best we can, until otherwise told differently.

The COVID-19 virus is not going to go away any time soon. The aim is to flatten the curve so that the hospitals, other medical facilities and their staff are not overwhelmed with infections all at once. Therefore, we know that the situation that we are all in now, will go on for an extended period, likely for weeks and months to come.

Over the last week we have had at least a 45% decrease in attendance of people across all our services. This is largely from people whom live in community residential houses and from those whom have other family members at home that are in the high-risk category (ageing parents, grandparents, other known health and medical conditions). Whilst the decision to not send clients in is completely understandable, it has impacted us in that we are now having to reduce staff as we do not have the work available for them.

To avoid losing staff, I have been working with my fellow Dknet partner, Gail Foster from focus on a solution to ‘second’ any excess staff that we have, to them. This iniative will be in place before the end of the week and offered to affected staff. This opportunity will not only support focus in their accommodation services (where we know that getting staff was already a challenge) but, it will also help keep MiLife-Victoria staff employed (rather than stood down) during these difficult times.

The balancing act we have with this secondment initiative is that we need to ensure that we continue to have enough staff to deliver our own services too. It is therefore vitally important that you keep us informed of what your intentions are with respect to keeping your person at home now or in the future.

As I said earlier, this situation is going to go on for a very long time and whilst you feel okay now to support your person, this may change in the weeks and months to come. Therefore, if you have decided to keep your person home now but in time you do feel the need for a break, please do not hesitate to call us so we can talk through how we can help and reinstate part, or all your persons supports.

Further, please consider what measures you have in place if you are to become sick. This is particularly important for those of you who do not have other family who can step in and support you.

As always, please call if you have any concerns or questions. I will continue to provide updates as often as I can.

Continue to take care.

Regards,

Terri Carroll

CEO MiLife-Victoria Inc.

Dear Clients, Families and Carers,

Thank you all very much for your patience and understanding over the last two days. It was terrific news to be able to report yesterday that our staff member was not exposed to the virus and that there is nothing for this person or us to be concerned about.

The time over the last two days was well spent. As reported previously, on Wednesday staff took the day to implement precautionary measures of cleaning all sites and vehicles from top to bottom.

At the full team meeting yesterday, I was able to talk through with to staff not only our pandemic plan and the measures we have implemented thus far, but also what we expect to implement over the coming weeks and months ahead. In addition, it was an opportunity to hear how they were feeling and the fears they have for their families and loved ones as well as their jobs now and in the future.

I was able to reassure staff that MiLife-Victoria along with other Disability Services, have been classified as an essential service and as such we are and will continue to provide supports to people for as long as we possibly can, albeit in a modified fashion.

It is important that all clients, families and carers understand this too. We want to stay open and continue to provide supports to those who want and so desperately need them. The COVID-19 virus and its impacts will be with us for many months to come so, we all need to be prepared for this. We need to pace ourselves, do exactly what we are being recommended to do in relation to social distancing, washing our hands frequently and before and after eating or using the toilet and not touch our faces wherever possible. This is a time where if we have an itch, we must avoid scratching it!

As an essential service, this means that you can and wherever possible should continue to send your person (provided they are well and have not been in contact with a person who has contracted the virus) to MiLife- Victoria. To reassure you that this is safe to do so, I want to explain the things we have and will continue to do, to provide a safe environment for your person.

Staff only working at one site – no cross contamination with sites

All staff and clients have been separated into smaller groups across 5 of our facilities, Cranbourne, Culburra, Langwarrin A, Langwarrin B and Frankston. No client or staff member will be able to access any other site until further notice.

Transport has been segregated too. All transport goes directly from home to the site and there are no drop offs to other sites whereas previously this occurred. Those who came in taxi’s together and were being dropped off to different sites have been separated too and now come in separate taxis to and from their own site.

These actions are to prevent any opportunity for cross infection. It also means that if there is an infection, not all the sites will need to close as we had to on Wednesday. The blessing of having facilities like we do allows for even better separation.

Staff instructed on extreme measures for infection control

All staff are aware of the standard infection control procedures and follow these on a daily basis. However, in light of the coronavirus we have stepped up our response by doing the following;

1. All staff across the organisation have been instructed to complete an online course for infection control prevention.

2. We have also spoken to our cleaner and arranged for additional deep cleans across the sites during the week. This is in addition to rosters being created for staff during the day to clean (with disinfectant) before, during and after activities. This cleaning involves surfaces, door handles, glass, window sills and any equipment that is used.

Supplies

We have sufficient supplies for now and are in constant contact with our supplier for this to be maintained. We are buying from other major stores any additional supplies that we need and can get hold of. I am also in discussions with other community providers to potentially buy their excess supplies as they have been closed until further notice.

No visitors or outside consultants will enter centres

The centres are closed to all outside visitors and only staff and clients of MiLife-Victoria will have access. This means that there will be no therapists of any types allowed to come on site to meet with clients. Behaviour Support professionals will be able to hold phone meetings with staff however, they too will not be able to come on site.

The only exception to this will be contractors whom may need to access a site such as an electrician plumber etc if there is a major problem that urgently needs fixing. If any contractor is needed we will be restricting their contact to the site to out of hours wherever possible and ensuring that they too are well and following all protocols for infection control.

Spaces for people to go if feeling unwell

As the centres will have people within them and everyone will be spread out as much as possible, we have identified the non-transport vehicles (i.e. those that were used for Community Access) to be the place where staff will take and support a person if they show symptoms or are feeling unwell.

In the event that a person does present with symptoms at any time during the day, they will be taken by a staff member to a dedicated vehicle to sit quietly and comfortably and immediate arrangements will be made to transport the person home.

Following this, the site will be closed, all families contacted in person, the site and the vehicle will be deep cleaned and all people in contact at that site will be required to self-isolate for as long as advised.

Programs and activities

I will reiterate again that we have a wonderful staff group at MiLife-Victoria whom are all motivated to keep the services going. They have bought to the table some fantastic and innovative ideas to ensure people have fun and are engaged in activities whilst being totally centre based.

The teams have been collaborating on pulling together a new program of activities for clients (with the exception of Frankston which will run their modified ACFE timetable). The Managers will be emailing the modified timetables for each site to you by the end of the day so please keep a look out for this.

There will be modifications to the timetables needed to be made on any given day to reflect absences of both staff and clients however, hopefully these will be minimal and all activities that have been planned will go ahead.

I would like to reiterate that you can have the confidence that your person will be safe and well cared for and that all precautions are in place for minimal contact of the virus. I absolutely understand peoples need and desire to keep their person and other loved ones safe and this may involve keeping them at home however, we have been classified as an essential service and as such we are staying open. The Government recognises that families and carers still need to work and/or need to have a break and wherever possible you should continue to send your person in. The COVID-19 virus is going to be with us for a very long time and everyone at MiLife-Victoria wants and to take care of you and your person during these trying times.

I hope this update provides you with the necessary information to feel confident that we have good plans in place and that we can continue to provide the support to your person during this pandemic crisis. If you would like to talk to me further about any of the content in this update, talk through your concerns or need other assistance, please do not hesitate to call.

I hope you all have a great weekend

Regards,

Terri Carroll

CEO MiLife-Victoria Inc.

Dear Clients, Families and Carers,

I have just received some wonderful news that our MiLife-Victoria staff member that I wrote you about the other day, has confirmed with us that they have NOT been in contact with a person suspected of having the COVID-19 virus. The person that was showing symptoms has been tested and the results have come back negative! This is fantastic news for the person and our staff member.

We will be resuming centre-based activities tomorrow and everyone is looking forward to getting on with our ‘new normal’.

As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call me.

Until my next update, take care.

Regards,

Terri Carroll

CEO MiLife-Victoria Inc.

Dear Clients, Parents and Carers,

I have received advice today that a MiLife-Victoria staff member may have been in contact with a person suspected of having the COVID-19 virus. The person is currently undergoing testing however, the MiLifeVictoria staff member is showing no signs of being symptomatic and although cannot be tested for the virus, they are self-isolating as per the Department of Health protocols.

As a precautionary measure, and because we cannot guarantee that contact across all clients and sites has not been made with the staff member, we are closing all sites and transport down tomorrow to conduct a deep clean of not just the site at which the staff member worked, but of all sites.

As already reported, we are closing on Thursday to meet with all staff and this will still go ahead. Therefore, there will be no centre-based activities tomorrow or Thursday. I expect that we will resume our ‘’new’’ normal activities at the centres from Friday.

I have enclosed a very handy self-assessment summary from the Department of Health and Human Services for your information and guidance. The summary is what we will be following to the letter with regards to any reported contact with the virus.

From Friday we will have all clients allocated to specific sites/buildings, transport will be direct to and from those site/buildings and staff will be allocated to one place to work and will not work across sites. Doing this will ensure that if there is a risk of infection and quarantine, only one group will be affected, not the entire organisation.

I am very sorry that this is late notice and will cause many of you some difficulty and if there was any other option I would take it but, there isn’t. We must take these precautionary measures now so that we can successfully resume activities on Friday.

I will provide a further update once I have received it from the impacted staff member however, in the meantime if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact myself, Ross Mackay or any of the Managers on 97757333 or my mobile 0413 018 329.

Yours sincerely,

Terri Carroll

CEO MiLife-Victoria

Pandemic Plan update

Dear Clients, Parents and Carers,

I am writing to provide a further update to our planning regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

Before I do though, I would like to apologise for some information that I distributed in my letter on Sunday. I, like so many others fell victim to believing and forwarding on information that was incorrect. In situations like these, it is natural to look to anything that may help us stay safe and prevent getting the virus however, sadly some take the opportunity to provide the wrong information. This then means that well intentioned people like me are fooled into believing it and pass it on. Please disregard the last page of my letter and from this point forward I will only pass on information from the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, Every Australian Counts Campaign and of course The Department of Health.

Now to what we are doing internally.

Yesterday we bought forward the date to cease all Community Activities. This will mean that activities that involve using a community facility or where community members gather, we will not go to.

There have been numerous questions come in about walks and trips around the block, to parks and gardens. In some circumstances these will be allowed however, these trips will be restricted to only those people who really need to get out for walks and time away from the larger group. Where these trips do occur, they will be staggered and limited in time to avoid potential exposure to others who may also be frequenting these places too.

The Management team are meeting again today to fully discuss our staged approach and to work through any issues identified for individuals, transport and programs in general. I will be addressing the entire team on Thursday to work through the plan with them and to address any concerns they may have as they continue to work face to face with people. Following this, I will be meeting with the Board on Thursday evening to hold discussions about our next steps should the situation get worse and they will continue to meet weekly until such as time as the pandemic has flattened and the crisis is under control.

As I indicated in my letter over the weekend, we will be doing everything in our power to remain open and keep activities going for as long as we possibly can. It will not be business as usual but, you can be assured the care and dedication to your person that we provided prior to the pandemic outbreak, will be the same care and dedication we will provide through it. We have a fabulous team at MiLife-Victoria and everyone is committed to continuing to provide support to clients in the safest way possible.

Please do not hesitate to call or contact me at the office if you would like to talk through in more detail any part of our plans or decisions we are making along the way. I would like to thank all of those who have taken the time to send us a message of thanks and support, it has been well appreciated and given a lift to all our spirits in these troubling and uncertain times.

For further information and the latest updates on the virus please go to the Department of Health at www.health.gov.au .

A Coronavirus frequently asked questions fact sheet can be accessed at either our website www.milife-victoria.org.au or the Every Australian Counts website at www.everyaustraliancounts.com.au

I hope you have a great day.

Yours sincerely,

Terri Carroll

CEO MiLife-Victoria

Dear Clients, families and carers,

Due to the evolving nature of the COVID-19 virus outbreak and measures imposed by the Government to minimize the spread, we have determined that we need to bring forward our plans to cease running activities within the community.

This means that from tomorrow and until further notice, we will no longer be providing group or individual supports in the community. As previously advised, all clients will be offered alternative activities at our centres at our Langwarrin, Cranbourne, Culburra and Frankston.

We will continue to keep you up to date and informed as to what the next steps are, but as you can imagine, we are all are facing some unprecedented and challenging times ahead as we all do our best to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

If you have any questions or queries in relation to this letter please don’t hesitate to call the office and ask to speak with either myself or Ross Mackay, MiLife-Victoria’s CFO or any of the Area Managers.

Yours sincerely,

Terri Carroll

CEO MiLife-Victoria

Dear Clients, families and carers,

The Corona Virus (COVID-19) is now considered a pandemic with the incidences of contraction and casualties increasing not just across the world, but now in Victoria.

In order to ensure the health and safety of our clients and staff, we have responded with our own Pandemic Plan that outlines the steps we are taking to minimise the risk of spread.

The rate at which the virus is spreading means that we are already at Stage 4 of our own pandemic plan, now that there are confirmed cases in Victoria. As part of our response, we have no option but to consider altering supports and implementing some service closures.

The Quality and Risk Committee has met several times over the last week to determine what essential services will be maintained and what services will need to cease until further notice.

We have identified our essential services to be;

• Those supports provided to our clients receiving in-home support where that support is essential for their survival;

• Our finance and client administration support to ensure we’re able to respond to the commercial challenges the virus will bring with it;

• Our IT infrastructure to support the likelihood of staff having to work from home or other virus-free location;

• Our communications support to ensure we’re able to keep everyone up to date with the latest news – particularly in relation to the virus and our services. Public Relations (communications, media management, staff management and volunteer recruitment etc).

In terms of managing closure of services, we will implement the following phases as and when required;

1. Services that will be considered first for closure will be:

• Group and Individual Support in Community

• Individual Support clients receiving support at home if there is a risk that they have contracted the virus

2. Services that would be considered second for closure will be:

• Our Specialised Transport Service to and from our Learning Centres

• Affected Centre Based services (including ABC weekends)

3. Services that would be considered third for closure are:

• Support Coordination and non-essential administration staff (all to be redeployed)

In line with the response of the State Government and larger Institutions, from Monday 23rd of March, we will be implementing closure of the first group of services.

From this date we will not be running any group or individual community activities or support. In addition, where an individual support person still receiving support in the home and presents as unwell or infected with the virus, supports will cease. All clients receiving Individual Support will be contacted directly next week to discuss changes (if any) to their supports.

Whilst I am fully aware that this will impact a number of individuals and families, we will be running additional activities at our Centres for those people this closure impacts. Wherever possible, if we can provide the support and avoid people having to stay home, we will.

We have capacity across our facilities to accommodate more centre based group activities. The Langwarrin and Culburra clients will continue to use Langwarrin A and B for their activities, and Cranbourne activities will be spread between our Cranbourne and Culburra sites. ACFE groups and some local community group activities will use our Frankston site in Young Street.

We will continue to run our Transport and Centre Based activities for as long as we can unless otherwise advised by the relevant Commonwealth and State Departments or in the case of an outbreak at one of the Centres, we will be forced to close.

Our goal is to continue to provide services to as many people as best we can. As you know we are already challenged with attracting and retaining enough staff for our normal service delivery and the pandemic will make this even more difficult. Given this, there is likely to be further changes and modifications to groups and activities with very short notice. I hope you will understand and be patient with us when this occurs.

Controlling the risk of infection is a responsibility we all share. We are doing our bit, and looking for your assistance as well. We need you to follow some very basic guidelines.

These include:

Avoiding events or places where crowds gather and present a high risk of you or your person contracting the virus;

Supporting your person to understand and practice good hygiene habits by reminding or helping them to wash their hands prior to and after eating or going to the toilet;

Using a tissue or the crook of their elbow to cough or sneeze in, disposing the tissue immediately and washing their hands again;

Most importantly, if your person is not well or if they have come in contact with a person who has the virus, they will need to stay home until they have been cleared to return.

It is vitally important that if you and/or your person have travelled to or through any of the nominated affected countries over the last two weeks, that you do not send your person to MiLife-Victoria for a further 2 weeks.

It is also vitally important that we understand you and your family’s future travel plans as this may affect attendance back at MiLife-Victoria for your person.

In order to communicate our plans to staff and have time to develop new centre-based programs to replace current community programs for those who need it, all services (other than those who require it for survival) will close for one day, being next Thursday 19th of March.

Updates will be provided on our Social Media platforms and all-important resources related to the virus and it’s impacts on MiLife-Victoria will be added to our website at www.milife-victoria.org.au

I apologise for any inconvenience that this may cause, I hope you understand that it is a necessity.

In closing, I have including some information below that I received from a colleague which I think is useful for all of us to know. The source is an academic whom has spent a great deal of time researching how to manage and understand the virus.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to call the office and speak to either myself, Ross Mackay, MiLife-Victoria’s CFO or any of the Area Managers.

Kind Regards,

Terri Carroll

CEO MiLife-Victoria

Dear Clients, Families and Carers,

As you are aware the COVID-19 virus has had a huge impact on all businesses, including our own. Whilst MiLife-Victoria is eligible for the Job Keeper subsidy and this has helped offset staff wages, the decline in our overall income has meant we have had to use our cash reserves to cover other costs associated with keeping the business going.

With our cash continuing to be drawn down and with no immediate changes to the current restrictions or finding a vaccine on the horizon, we have had to make some further tough decisions to secure MiLife’s future. By this I am referring to the liquidation of one or more of our assets. Whilst, it is not an ideal time to be doing this, it is a necessary action that we need to take to remain in business for when the pandemic ends.

The properties we have identified to liquidate are the Hastings and Culburra properties. As you know the Hastings property houses all the Head Office staff and Culburra is the smallest of all our Learning Centres providing a base for approx. 14 clients. When considering selling, it was agreed that Head office staff could continue to work remotely as many of us have been during this pandemic and due to the recent fire season, as the clients at Culburra had been at Langwarrin prior to the outbreak, they could continue there once this is all over.

Although neither property is on the market yet, we have had discussions to sell the properties privately. At this point Hastings has had no interest however, we have had discussions with Focus to sell Culburra to them as an accommodation service. It is with mixed emotions that I can now confirm that my discussions with Focus have progressed to a confirmed sale.

Whilst selling property was not in our current strategic plan, it was on the Boards agenda to look at in the coming 12 -18 months. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 Pandemic has bought these discussions forward with a necessary sale critical to our survival. I am sure this news will come as a surprise and be very disappointing to many, in particular the clients of Culburra, however, I hope everyone can understand the situation and why these decisions have had to be made.

Culburra will officially settle in 30 days and will go a long way to helping us get us through this pandemic. However, until we see a change to the social distancing rules and we can get back to providing our normal services, we will need to continue to investigate the sale of Hasting too. A sale of this property will assure our future and guarantee our ability to come through when this all ends.

As always, please call if you have any questions or concerns and, in the meantime, I will continue to provide further updates as often as I can.

Continue to take care and be safe.

Kind Regards,

Terri Carroll

CEO MiLife-Victoria Inc.

New measures to support NDIS participants and providers through COVID-19

The Hon Stuart Robert MP

Media Releases https://ministers.dss.gov.au/media-releases/5661

Additional information on the changes can be found at the NDIA website (see below).

In summary, the changes announced by Minister Robert involve:

PLANNING

Participants are being offered telephone planning meetings as a safer alternative to face-to-face meetings

Plans that are due for annual review will be automatically extended for up to 24 months

The NDIA is shifting resources to prioritise quick action where participants are seeking changes to their plan due to change of circumstances

Special teams will provide assistance where participants need to use core and capacity building funding flexibly

The NDIA will be contacting participants it has assessed as being at "higher risk” to ensure they are receiving essential disability-related supports

PROVIDERS

Registered NDIS providers will receive a one-month advance payment (based on a monthly average of supports billed for in the previous 3 month period) to provide some immediate cash flow assistance

There will be a 10% COVID-19 loading added to the price list for key supports for up to six months:

- Assistance with Daily Life (excluding Supported Independent Living)

- Assistance with Social and Community Participation)

- Improved Daily Living

Providers can now change cancellations at 100% of the price and there will be a broader definition of “short notice”.

Any increased cleaning and personal protective equipment (PPE) costs associated with Covid-19 can continue to be billed.

Official information sources and additional resources:

NDIA – Responsible for messaging to NDIS participants, people with disability and the general public on disability and Covid-19

Latest news (including Minister’s announcement and Easy Read format information)

https://www.ndis.gov.au/understanding/ndis-and-other-government-services/ndis-and-disaster-response

Fact Sheet

https://www.ndis.gov.au/media/2209/download

Frequently Asked Questions

https://www.ndis.gov.au/understanding/ndis-and-other-government-services/ndis-and-disaster-response#faq
NDIS Q&S Commission – Responsible for messaging to service providers on disability and Covid-19
Information including:
Training module: Infection prevention and control for COVID-19
Provider alerts and communications
Links to government resources
Advice on use of trusted information sources
https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/resources/coronavirus-covid-19-information#participant
Commonwealth Department of Health - Responsible for messaging to the general public on Covid-19 (including general information about vulnerable groups)

General information about the Covid-19 alert

https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert

What you need to know about Covid-19 including who is most at risk

https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert/what-you-need-to-know-about-coronavirus-covid-19#who-is-most-at-risk

Commonwealth Department of Social Services - Responsible for messaging to the general public on Covid-19 and financial support from the Commonwealth Government

Information about Centrelink payments and other financial supports and eligibility criteria for vulnerable cohorts.

https://www.dss.gov.au/about-the-department/coronavirus-covid-19-information-and-support
Priority Assistance for Vulnerable People – Food and groceries

Woolworths - has introduced a Priority Assistance service with dedicated delivery windows. Eligible customers include seniors, people with a disability and those with compromised immunity or who are required to self-isolate.

https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/discover/priorityassistance

Coles – Is temporarily diverting its home delivery service to the Coles Online Priority Service, to focus on delivering food and grocery essentials to elderly and vulnerable members of the community, including retirement and nursing homes. More information on how to order via the Priority Service will be announced soon.

https://www.coles.com.au/customernotice#coles-online

Aldi – Elderly or vulnerable people in the community who are unable to access supermarkets, can get in touch with local charities in their area for assistance. To locate a charity in your area that can provide food and grocery relief.

www.foodbank.org.au or www.askizzy.org.au.

IGA – Some stores are offering additional shopping hours, others already open early and have recommended suitable time slots for those customers to shop. There are extra staff to help vulnerable shoppers do their shopping and some stores are dropping the groceries off to their locals in need. All stores will continue to prioritise the elderly or those with special needs at all service points in their stores.

https://www.iga.com.au/update/

NDIA and NDIS Partners

NDIA, LAC and ECEI Partners have all moved to providing services online or over the phone. This means that unless there are extraordinary circumstances, staff from these organisations will not be attending hospitals or hospital settings to conduct planning meetings or meet with participants, prospective participants or Health staff. More information is available on the NDIA Disaster Response page.

https://www.ndis.gov.au/news/4659-new-measures-support-ndis-participants-and-providers-through-covid-19.

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Advice for people with disability

The Australian Government Department of Health’s new webpage explains how people with disability can protect themselves from COVID-19, manage their mental health, and access important services like telehealth and prescription medications.

Key points

• The Department of Health’s new webpage helps people with disability exercise choice and control over their health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• We encourage you to share the information on this webpage with the NDIS participants you support.
• We have also developed resources for people with disability, and we continue to share these, and resources developed by the Australian Government, with you and your NDIS participants.

Australian Government Department of Health webpage for people with disability

The Australian Government Department of Health has created a webpage containing COVID-19 advice for people with disability.

The webpage explains how people with disability can protect themselves from COVID-19, including through good hygiene, physical distancing, avoiding public gatherings, isolating if they are sick, and finding safe and alternative ways to get the services they need.

This advice supports and promotes the NDIS principles of empowering people with disability to exercise choice and control.

We strongly encourage you to share this webpage, and the information it contains, with the NDIS participants you support.

NDIS Commission resources for NDIS participants about COVID-19

The NDIS Commission has a COVID-19 webpage containing information for people with disability, and we have issued two fact sheets for NDIS participants about COVID-19.

1. Our first COVID-19 NDIS participant information fact sheet explains:

• what to expect from their NDIS providers
• their rights and how to make a complaint about a provider
• what resources are available from the NDIA
• where to find more information and resources about COVID-19.

2. Our second NDIS participant fact sheet explains what to expect from providers and workers during COVID-19, including some possible changes to the way supports and services are delivered during this time.

Disability Information Hotline

The Disability Information Helpline provides information and referrals for people with disability who need help because of COVID-19. It can also assist families, carers, and support workers.

The helpline is available by calling 1800 643 787. If you are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech impairment, you can also call the National Relay Service on 133 677. It is available Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm (AEST) and Saturday and Sunday 9am to 7pm (AEST). It is not available on national public holidays.

Further information, alerts and resources

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) information webpage on the NDIS Commission website contains links to updates, training, alerts and other resources. We also have a webpage of frequently asked questions about COVID-19 for all stakeholders.

The Australian Government Department of Health has released a series of posters about COVID-19. You can download, print and pin these up in your premises to encourage your workers, as well as participants, their friends and family to follow simple steps, including practising good hygiene, to help stop the spread.

For More Information

Email: [email protected] Website: www.ndiscommission.gov.au