A4's submission

A4 made a submission to the inquiry by the Joint Standing Committee on the NDIS into the provision of services under the NDIS for people with psychosocial disabilities related to a mental health condition.

You can download A4's submission from the inquiry's submissions page or using the link below. A4's submission is number 89.

The keys points in A4's submission are:

generally, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is regarded as a psychosocial disability ... except in Australia.

a major concern is that "people with disability, especially cognitive impairment and psychosocial disability, are ‘routinely subjected to unregulated and underregulated behaviour modification or restrictive practices such as chemical, mechanical and physical restraint and seclusion’."

while there was some interest (following the Burdekin Report in 1993) in services for people with both intellectual disability and mental illness, there has never been any discernible effort in Australia to recognise and address the needs of autistic people with mental illness.

the NDIS may offer autistic people funding but it is pointless when there is no suitable service where they can "purchase" the services and supports that they need.

Australian law and its associated legal system condone/promote the disability discrimination (Australian law calls it "lawful discrimination") that is denial (failure/refusal to plan and fund) of essential services and supports to autistic Australians with comorbid mental illness or are at risk of being subject to inappropriate "restrictive practices".

In total, there were 132 submissions. They can be downloaded from the Inquiry's submissions page.

The Committee released it's report on 15-AUG-2017. It is available from the report page or from the link below.

The Government's response (2-MAR-2018) can be downloaded from this webpage or from below.