The government has been making long overdue changes to the funded family care scheme. The New Zealand Public Health and Disability Amendment Bill is now before the Health Select Committee. This proposed law change will repeal Part 4A of the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act which currently stops people taking discrimination complaints about funded family care.
This proposed law change, and other changes, to funded family care has resulted from a long and sustained campaign by
Disabled People, their whānau and families, and organisations including ADL.
It is Important to Submit
Please submit if you feel you, or others you know, have been disadvantaged by Part 4A of the current Act.Part 4A currently allows discrimination in the funded family care scheme, and stops discrimination complaints being
taken under the Human Rights Act.Discrimination based on family status is currently supported by Part 4A. As a result, funding cannot be received because
some relationships with a family member, such as being a partner and spouse, have not to date been covered by funded
family care.
We believe Disabled People, their whānau and families have the right to effective access to justice on the same basis as
others, including making discrimination complaints about funded family care.Funded Family Care Policy Changes
There are also policy changes being made to funded family care. To read about these go to the
Ministry of Health Website on Funded Family CareFunded Family Care Assessment Process
ADL believes that government should also be making changes to funded family care’s assessment processes. We see:Unrealistically low funded hours for the level of care and support needed by the Disabled Person.An assessment process which is overly invasive, and lacks dignity and respect for the Disabled Person and their carer.An assessment process where we have seen funded hours cut even when the Disabled Person’s personal and support needs
have not changed.Maximum of 40 hours funded family care per week for Disabled Persons who would otherwise need full time residential
care.
The government needs to take the opportunity now to make changes to this highly problematic assessment process. Join us
by including this in your submission to Select Committee.Making Your Submission
Submissions close on Thursday 2 April 2020. To make your submission go to the Parliament Website for the NZ Public Health and Disability Amendment Bill
.Please Note The Select Committee process is public, and all submissions received will be posted on Parliament’s
website. For this reason, do not include your contact details or any other personal information in your submission that
you do not want released to the public.For More Information
To find out more about making a submission and to read the Bill go to the