Early Intervention Service Provider Newsletter

Early Intervention Service Provider Newsletter

For members of the Helping Children with Autism (HCWA) and Better Start for Children with Disability (Better Start) Service Provider Panels

No: 02/2013October 2013

Welcome to your second Newsletter for 2013. We’ve had a very busy few months with service providers and clients in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) launch sites preparing for transition into the new scheme, as well as extending funding agreements for over 600 service providers. The HCWA package and Better Start initiative have now provided funding for over one million services to eligible children and we thank you for your contribution to this impressive milestone.

The new Department of Social Serviceswas created with effect from 18 September 2013. This new department will now have responsibility for both the HCWA and Better Start programs.

Rhiannon Henry-Edwards and her brother at the National Disability Insurance Scheme Launch

National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)

The NDIS (previously DisabilityCare Australia) has started torolloutinlaunch sites across Australia. More than 26,000 people with disability, their families and carers in the launch sites will benefit from the first stage of the scheme. Participants will have their needs assessed and work with local people todevelop a plan for their care and support, so that they get the helping hand they need and certainty into the future.

It was a pleasure to see so many HCWA and Better Start providers at the information sessions we held during June and July in the NDIS launch sites to discuss the transition to the NDIS. We hope that the sessions were useful and informative for you, and encourage you to register as a NDIS provider to allow for continuity of support for those HCWAand Better Start children who transition to the NDIS.

If you choose not to register with the NDIS you can continue to deliver services to HCWA and/or Better Start clients, and also provide services to NDIS clients who choose to self-manage their funds. However, you will not be able to provide services to NDIS clients who have their funds managed by the NDIA.

The HCWA and Better Start service provider panels will continue to operate outside of and in parallel to the NDIS. Those providers wishing to deliver services to HCWA and Better Start clients will still need to be registered on the relevant panel.

Existing HCWA and Better Start clients will transition into the NDIS in launch sites in accordance with the phasing arrangements outlined below. As stated in the HCWA/Better Start Operational Guidelines, it is the responsibility of the provider to check the client’s eligibility and financial balance from their Client Record in FOFMS before delivering a service. This will be particularly important in launch sites. As a client transitions, their Eligibility End Date will be changed on FOFMS to the date their plan starts with the NDIS. Providers are encouraged to check whether their client remains eligible or has moved onto NDIS by reviewing the client’s Eligibility End Date. This can be found under the ‘EI More Info’ tab. HCWA and Better Start will not pay for services provided after the child’s eligibility end date. However, they will process claims for services provided prior to this date.

If you are continuing to provide services to the client under their NDIS plan you will need to submit these claims through the NDIS provider portal.

HCWA and Better Start will also gradually close to new clients in launch sites as the NDIS is rolled out in accordance with phasing arrangements. HCWA and Better Start will close in launch sites as follows:

South Australia

1 July 2013HCWA and Better Start closed to children 0-2 (up to age 3)

1 October 2013HCWA and Better Start closed to children 0-3 (up to age 4)

1 January 2014HCWA and Better Start closed to children 0-4 (up to age 5)

1 April 2014HCWA and Better Start closed to children 0-5 (up to age 6)

1 July 2014HCWA and Better Start closed to children 0-6 (up to age 7)

Victoria (Barwon)

1 July 2013HCWA and Better Start closed to all new clients

New South Wales (Hunter)

1 July 2013HCWA and Better Start closed to residents in the Newcastle City Council Local Government area

30 June 2014HCWA and Better Start closed to residents in the Lake Macquarie City Local Government area

1 July 2015HCWA and Better Start closed to residents of Maitland City Local Government area

Frequently asked questions from HCWA and Better Start providers and families are available on the Department’s website.

For more information about the NDIS please visit the NDIS website. To read the latest news and subscribe to updates about the rollout of the NDIS, go to the ‘News’ section on the website. For specific questions or information you can phone 1800 800 110 for the cost of a local call (please note that calls from mobile phones may incur additional costs.)

Note: If you have a client who disagrees with a decision made by NDIS, they can apply to have the decision reviewed by NDIS. This is called an internal review. If your client still disagrees with a decision after an internal review, they can apply to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) for an external merits review. When they apply to the AAT they will be offered help from a support person, available in each of the NDIS launch sites to all AAT applicants. For more information and to access support from AAT, visit the AAT websiteor call 1300366700.

Client outcome survey

A client outcome survey is underway to measure the outcomes of children who have received services funded by either the Better Start for Children with Disability and the Helping Children with Autism (HCWA) programs. ACILAllen Consulting is conducting this research and will be seeking input from selected service providers between October 2013 and April 2014 in the form of brief telephone interviews.

If you have any queries regarding the client outcome survey, please contact Simone Gigli at ACILAllen Consulting on (02) 8272 5121 or at .

Better Start News

1 July 2013 marked the second anniversary of Better Start and the initiative continues to expand. Since the initiative began in 2011, more than 6,000 children have been registered and families have purchased more than 109,000 services from Better Start providers. In the 2012-13 financial year alone, families spent over $13 million in Better Start funds to access eligible early intervention services through our panel of almost 1,600 service providers. We are grateful to all of the service providers making eligible interventions available to children at this important stage in their development.

Better Start evaluation

An evaluation of Better Start is currently being conducted by ACIL Allen Consulting to assess the extent to which the program is meeting, or is on track to meet, its objectives; to identify possible improvements to Better Start; and to assess the effectiveness of the current service delivery model in delivering desired outcomes.

The evaluation has completed the first of two rounds of data collection. We would like to extend a warm thank you to all service providers who have already contributed to the study. Round two data collection is currently underway, with the evaluation expected to be completed in December 2013.

If you have not already contributed to the evaluation, we would greatly value your feedback through the online service provider survey which is nowopen and accessible by visiting the Early Intervention Study survey website or by copying and pasting this URL into your browser .

If you have any queries regarding the evaluation, please contact Rebecca Astley at ACIL Allen Consulting on (03) 8650 6000 or email .

iTunes Vouchers – change in Better Start policy

The Department of Social Services recently received a query regarding the ‘ownership’ of iTunes vouchers when purchased as a Better Start resource. The existing Better Start policy states that service providers are responsible for purchasing and loading apps onto iPads, not parents/carers. Following this query, the policy has been reviewed and amended. From now on, in cases where service providers have determined that an iPad app is integral to a child’s therapy, the parent/carer will be able to retain purchased iTunes vouchers and select the appropriate educational apps themselves.

This policy decision was effective from 27 June 2013. DSS will soon be updating the Better Start Service Provider Operational Guidelines to reflect this, and a range of other changes. Once finalised, the updated Operational Guidelines will be made available on our website and via the Literature Tab within FOFMS. It is anticipated the updated Guidelines will be available later this year.

Helping Children with Autism News

More than 28,000 children have now been registered for assistance under the HCWA package, and our service provider panel has grown so that there are now around 1,750 providers delivering early intervention services across Australia.

Diagnostic criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder

DSS has conducted a number of consultations to discuss the implications of the new diagnostic criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder, introduced in theDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, FifthEdition (DSM-5). These consultations have been well attended with many different perspectives shared between a wide range of stakeholders. DSS is considering the feedback from these consultations and the implications on eligibility criteria for the HCWA package.

Due to the timing of the introduction of the DSM-5, the Department has introduced an interim policy response which removes reference to the DSM-IV. This interim policy states:

Diagnosis - The Autism Advisor must sight a written conclusive diagnosis made in Australia by or through any one of the following:

a state/territory government or equivalent multidisciplinary assessment service; or

a private multidisciplinary team; or

Paediatrician; or

Psychiatrist;

A multidisciplinary assessment team must consist of a psychologist and speech pathologist but may also include an occupational therapist.

An acceptable diagnosis is one of the following conditions, as diagnosed by one of the professionals listed above:

Autism;

Autism Spectrum Disorder;

Autistic Disorder;

Asperger’s Disorder/Syndrome;

Rett’s Disorder;

Childhood Disintegrative Disorder; or

Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS).

This policy bases eligibility on expert advice from professionals who are using either the DSM-IV or

the DSM-5, thereby, maintaining in principle the current scope of the program.

Based on the consultations we’ll be providing advice to the Minister on the impact of the DSM-5 and the policy response around eligibility for HCWA. Once a decision is made you will be informed of the policy changes and the guidelines will be amended accordingly.

Asia Pacific Autism Conference (APAC) 2013 in Adelaide 8-10 August

As we advised in our previous newsletter, DSS was very proud to be a major sponsor for APAC 2013 and had several delegates at the conference who were delighted to see some of you there.

We also took the opportunity to sponsor three delegates under the Future Leaders Program, an initiative designed to bring together young adults aged 18-30 with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to participate in the APAC 2013 conference and associated activities, including a structured integration program and mentoring by older adults with an ASD. As the Autistic Self Advocacy Network of Australia and New Zealand (ASAN) were instrumental in the delivery of the Future Leaders Program, we also provided support for the ASAN management committee to participate in APAC 2013.

The conference program was very diverse with up to nine concurrent session streams covering topics such as the impact of ASD on different age cohorts, developmental areas, intervention approaches and funding paradigms, amongst many others.

Some keynote speakers presented new research findings and others challenged the delegates to think differently about the way they provided services and the assumptions they made about people with autism.

Overall it was a very worthwhile conference. All sessions were recorded and can be purchased via the APAC 2013 website.

Program Administration Update

Handy reminder/Don’t forget…

Lead agencies processing claims for consortium members and subcontractors

We would like to remind providers about following proper procedures when processing claims on behalf of their consortium members and/or subcontractors. Where consortium members and/or subcontractors do not have access to FOFMS, lead agencies should ensure that they sight service delivery records signed by the parent before processing any claims for these colleagues.

Fee schedule updates, including the addition of new consortium members

If you wish to update your current fee schedule on the Department’s website and/or request the addition of new consortium members, you will need to complete the applicable fee schedule template. You can access both the HCWA and Better Start Fee Schedule templates at theDepartment of Social Services’ website. Please highlight additions or deletions from your existing fee schedule (by either highlighting or using a different coloured font) and email .

Updating of organisation details

We would like to remind providers that when you would like to update your organisation contact details (for example address, phone number, e-mail addresses etc.) please email us directly at or . If FOFMS requires updating, these requests need to come from our program area in the first instance.

If your organisation intends to make any significant changes to the business structure (such as a change of ownership, change of legal entity type, or change of ABN) you must provide us with 30days written notice. Any changes to your organisation affect your Standard Funding Agreement. As the process of making appropriate changes takes time, advising us early will assist a smooth transition. These changes can be emailed to the above email addresses.

Client Consent

We would like to remind providers that the child’s parent/carer must sign the Service Delivery Record Form after each service or resource is delivered. The Service Delivery Record Form is available in FOFMS from the Literature tab.

From the Early Intervention Helpdesk

The Early Intervention Helpdesk supports all providers and families under the HCWA and Better Start packages.

It is a good idea for service providers to check the HCWA and/or Better Start Operational Guidelines before contacting the Helpdesk, as these Guidelines may provide the answers to your questions. These can be found on the Department of Social Services’ website. If you still can’t find the answer, please contact the Helpdesk for assistance.

Helpdesk Hours of Operation

For HCWA and Better Start support the Helpdesk is available on 1800 778 581 between 9:30-12:30am and 1:30-5:00pm Monday – Friday (Public Holidays excluded). If you call outside these hours or the Helpdesk is attending to other calls, please leave a message telling us your name, area code, phone number, the state you are calling from and the issue you are calling about. We will return your call during business hours.

Email support

Please email r HCWA enquiries and r
Better Start enquiries.

For FOFMS passwords, user access or any other FOFMS issues please call the FOFMSHelpdesk on 1800 020 283.