2019 : ISSUE 1 AMICUS EXCHANGE IN THIS ISSUE MESSAGE FROM THE CEO 2 COMMUNITY EVENTS Bendigo 9 PARTICIPANT UPDATES 3 Ballarat 9 INTERNAL UPDATES Kyneton 10 Castlemaine 10 Personal Development Day 4 NOTICES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS EASTER Bendigo 11 Changes to public and community housing 5 Maldon 11 Free Dental Care 5 Harcourt 12 Flu Vaccines 5 Creswick 12 AUTISM AWARENESS Rushworth 12 Sensory Friendly Film Screenings 6 Coles Quiet Hour 7 IMPORTANT DATES 7 World Down Syndrome Day 7 WORKSHOPS 2019 NDIS Workshops Bendigo 8 OUR OFFICE Central Victoria Disability Housing 100 Queen Street, Bendigo 3550 and Support Seminar 8 8.30am – 4.30pm Monday to Friday (03) 5441 2666 2019 NDIS Workshop Dates 13 amicus.org.au AMICUS EXCHANGE 2019 : ISSUE 1 PAGE 1 A MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO ANN-MAREE DAVIS Welcome to the first edition of our newsletter for 2019 and what a start to the year it has been! We have had many participants enjoying holidays and out and about participating in community events, with some great stories to share later on in the newsletter. In the world of NDIS, as many of our participants move onto their second and for some third NDIS plans, we are seeing some overall improvement in the outcomes through planning. Unfortunately we are still kept busy following up for those where the planning process does not accurately capture needs and I plan to meet with the NDIS Australia on how that might work for you and your family on a more regular basis to ensure that we can raise these member with a disability. Please contact me on issues and contribute to the continuous improvement of NDIS 5441 2666 or to register your interest and best (and Amicus) systems and processes. [email protected] availability to meet. We have had a very busy time organisationally with our audit We will also be undertaking some work through our local against the DHHS and ISO 9001:2015 standards occurring over Support Coordination network to look at how we can resource three days in mid-February. Thank you to Judy and Anette in practitioners in this critical role to explore the full range our Quality Team and all participants families and staff who of housing options that could meet the needs of the NDIS participated in this year’s audit. Despite all of the changes that participants they are working with. We have had several land have occurred in the Disability and Children’s services sector, sales at our former Cecil Street site over the past few months and that we are all learning new ways of doing things, we have which brings us closer to realising our plans to construct units had another great audit result which is a credit to all involved, that will assist in providing additional options. not just in the audit but the work that we do every day. From 1 July 2019 Amicus and other organisations implementing In response to recent feedback we have introduced a new the NDIS across Victoria will commence transitioning to the way for people to communicate that they would like changes National Quality and Safeguards framework and we will be to their rostered support. We have created an email address commencing work on this transition shortly. [email protected] so that you can email through requests. We found that sometimes requests were getting Work is progressing with our self-directed teams framework missed because a staff member who had been contacted by following workshops with representatives from all of the teams email or a message left on their phone may have been away. late last year and feedback from participants and families. As As the email address will be continuously monitored during we were trialling lots of different approaches across the teams, business hours and periodically by our after-hours team the framework, which is due for finalisation in the coming outside of business hours, this will prevent further recurrences. weeks, will ensure that we can utilise the most effective For those who are purchasing services with NDIS funding if approaches and apply these consistently across our teams. you need to make changes to your support that will affect We have also had many organisations contact us from across your service agreement then these changes are made with the Australia to find out more about the work we have been doing Intake team, within self-directed teams, some of these have visited in recent [email protected] weeks, with more due to visit in the next few months. Lastly I will be spending some time in Auckland, New Zealand from 21 March, with Dr Michael Kendrick working with We know that housing is such an important issue for many organisations and disability professionals who are seeking of the people who choose our support and during 2019 we to move from more traditional models of disability support will be having a real focus on housing that is accessible and to models similar to Amicus. While NZ will be in mourning affordable. For the past 18 months I have been involved and it is a difficult time for many, I am looking forward to the in the MASARG (Mt Alexander Shire Accommodation and opportunity to share our journey. In my absence please direct Respite Group) working group who are looking for solutions in any NDIS/CHSP/HACC service delivery questions to Shayne, Castlemaine, with a very successful forum held in early March TCP to Sophia, NDIS Support Coordination to Susan and which included presentations by Lisa Chesters, Secure Housing finance to Cathy. I look forward to reporting back in the next Australia, Haven; Home, Safe and the NDIS. newsletter and please check out Facebook, I will be posting Amicus also partnered in the Housing seminar that was held some updates while I am away. at the All Seasons alongside Araluen and Secure Housing Australia on 13 March. For those who were unable to attend the seminar but are interested in finding out more about Cheers! Shared Home Ownership, Amicus is able to facilitate a small group discussion with Mark and Tim from Secure Housing Ann-Maree AMICUS EXCHANGE 2019 : ISSUE 1 PAGE 2 PARTICIPANT UPDATES CRAIG’S HOLIDAY IN BALLARAT Late December, Gerald and Thirza took Craig for an extended weekend holiday in Ballarat. On their way to Ballarat, they stopped at Daylesford for breakfast before heading onto Lake Wendouree, where they had fish and chips for lunch. Craig’s highlight was visiting the Ballarat Wildlife Rescue Park where he was able to feed and pat some of the animals. Unfortunately, their trip to Sovereign Hill was spoiled by the rain, so instead, they went to the local pool hall. Craig is quite the shark player, holding the cue and shoots with one arm! It was a great weekend and Craig is already planning his next adventure. JO AT SUMMER NATIONALS Elliot, Nick, and Shane drove up to Canberra for Summer Nats with Jo Hogg early this month, passing by the Dog on the Tuckerbox and staying in a hotel in Murrumbateman. After arriving on Thursday, they watched burnouts, skids, hot rods and the other amazing cars drive up and down the area. At lunch, Jo purchased a massive hat to keep the intense sun off. Jo’s highlight was seeing ‘Wide Open’ do some burnouts. After a long day at the cars, they all returned to the hotel and had dinner at the local pub before an early night and showers to wash off the burnt rubber. On the drive home, they went via Albury to look at the train station, which has the longest platform in NSW, before getting home late on Friday. Jo was pretty stoked from his experience and is already planning to go to more burnout events. AMICUS EXCHANGE 2019 : ISSUE 1 PAGE 3 INTERNAL UPDATES AMICUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY We had terrific attendance at our Professional Development Day on Wednesday 16 January. It was a great opportunity to hear about some of the priority areas for Amicus in 2019, learn more about Functional Behavioural Assessments, Restrictive Interventions and a very informative Q&A panel regarding Self Directed Teams. AMICUS EXCHANGE 2019 : ISSUE 1 PAGE 4 ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPDATES CHANGES TO REGISTER FOR PUBLIC HOUSING AND COMMUNITY HOUSING Did you know that there are changes to the process to You can apply for the register online through HousingVic register for public housing and community housing? online services via your MyGov account. Here is how to The Victorian Housing Register is where you can register find it: for social housing in Victoria. This means you can apply 1. Go to the myGov website and sign in to your myGov for both public and community housing at the same time account. If you don’t have one, you’ll need to create a myGov account (it should only take a few minutes) The register has two categories: 2. Open myGov’s ‘Services’ section • Priority Access: this is for people: 3. Pick ‘HousingVic online services’ – this will link it to your myGov account. ◦ Who are homeless and receiving support ◦ Are escaping or have escaped family violence Or if you would like to find out more about the housing ◦ With a disability or significant support needs options that could assist you, the Housing Options ◦ With special housing needs. Finder might be a good place to start. It takes you • Register of Interest: this is for all eligible applicants to through a brief questionnaire and then provides register their interest in social housing. further information about your options based on your responses.